Post on 04-Jan-2016
The Supreme Court
Work of the Federal Courts
Remember: 97% of cases are handled by state courts
Federal Court Jurisdiction– Federal Question
Federal statute or regulation U.S. Constitution
– Diversity Jurisdiction
Supreme Court
Article III Appointment Life Tenure Composition
– Associate Justices– Chief Justice– Law Clerks
Current Court
Current Court
John Roberts (CJ) G.W. Bush 2005 52
John Paul Stevens Ford 1975 86
Antonin Scalia Reagan 1986 71
Anthony Kennedy Reagan 1988 70
David Souter G.H.W. Bush 1990 67
Clarence Thomas G.H.W. Bush 1991 58
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Clinton 1993 74
Steven Breyer Clinton 1994 68
Samuel Alito G.W. Bush 2006 56
Supreme Court’s Work
First Monday in October – June/July
Original Jurisdiction v. Appellate Jurisdiction
Cert Petitions “Rule of Four”
Certiorari Petitions
Term All Filings IFP FilingsCases Argued
2004 7496 5755 87
2005 8521 6846 87
Deciding on the Merits
Information– Litigant Briefs– “Record”– Amicus Briefs– Oral Argument
30 minutes per side
Conference Votes
Opinions
Opinion of the Court– Majority– Plurality
Dissenting Opinions Concurring Opinions
Opinions
Describe History of Case Describe “Precedent”
– Stare decisis– Reason by analogy
Holding– Becomes precedent– Weight depends on majority v. plurality
What Matters
Not Just Who Wins / Who Loses REASONING