Highest Court in the U.S.

Created to interpret (explain) the Constitution.

Judicial Review: Cases looked over to see if they are Constitutional/ Un-Constitutional

Nine Justices (8 Associate Justices, 1 Chief Justice)( 1st S.C. there were 6 Judges)

Chief Justice today: John Roberts

Their decision is final (no Court above them)

Supreme Court has Original and Appellate Jurisdiction. (Power: Cases go straight to S.C.)

Appellate Courts have: Appellate Jurisdiction: Hear case being appealed

District Courts have: Original Jurisdiction: Hear case first

They choose which cases they want to hearOver 7000 cases submitted per year—they

only hear about 200 (1 in every 35)

No witnesses in Supreme Court

They read notes from previous cases and hear lawyer arguments

Vote, majority vote wins

They write essay on majority opinion and dissenting (disagreeing) opinion

Chief Justice makes $208,000/year Associate Justices make $199,000/year

The youngest Supreme Court appointee was Joseph Story (32). First Chief Justice John Jay

First Woman Justice: Sandra Day O’Connor (1981-2006)

First African American Justice: Thurgood Marshall (1967-1991)

The oldest sitting justice was Oliver Wendell Holmes, who served until he was 90

Chief Justice of the United States…………JOHN G. ROBERTS, JR.

Associate Justice John Paul Stevens Antonin Scalia

Anthony M. Kennedy David H. Souter Clarence Thomas Ruth Bader Ginsburg Stephen G. Breyer Samuel A. Alito, Jr. Retired Justice………………..………………… SANDRA DAY

O’CONNOR