The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of the United States has remained the most powerful judicial body on earth. There has been just over 100 Supreme Court justices in all of American history serving an average of sixteen years. When the government moved to Washington in 1801 the Supreme Court was given a temporary location in the unfinished capital building. Under the leadership of John Marshal the court was able to make the constitution a strong instrument of nation building and the new court gained respect as a co-equal branch of government. After the Civil War, the constitution was amended to abolish slavery, define citizenship, and grant voting rights. The 14th Amendment told the states that they could not deny due process of law, or equal protection of the law to any citizen.

Today, the court looks at the constitution as a way to resolve national problems. The Supreme Court receives more than 100 new cases a week and about 700 cases a year. The first thing that is done before the justices go on the bench or before a conference each justice shakes every other justice’s hand. The Supreme Court hears cases in public, and the lawyers on opposing sides of each case are allowed 30 minutes to make their arguments before the court. A couple days after hearing arguments, the justices convene in the conference room to vote on the case. There are only the nine justices in the room, no law clerks or secretaries. After they have voted on a case one of the justices on the majority side is assigned to write an opinion explaining the legal reasons for the decision. The first draft of the opinion is finished in around four weeks and the draft is sent to all nine of the justices where they can re-draft the opinion to persuade the other justices. Traditionally, the court announces decisions and release options on all current cases at the end of the term in late June. As the judges announce their decisions the public information officer is notified over telephone to release copies of opinions to the press.

The power of the court is the power of trust earned from the American people.