The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the top Court of the land, the effective "the buck stops here" body of decision makers. A legal case that makes it to the Supreme Court, and if the court decides to hear the case, is handed a final decision.
The Constitution of the United States defines the court:
Article III, Section 1 states:
The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of the United States, and eight Associate Justices. The current roster is:
The Constitution of the United States defines the court:
Article III, Section 1 states:
The judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.Further, the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is defined in Article III, Section 2 of the Constition:
The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority; — to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls; — to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; — to controversies to which the United States shall be a party; — to controversies between two or more states; — between a state and citizens of another state;8 — between citizens of different states; — between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states, and between a state, or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens or subjects.
The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of the United States, and eight Associate Justices. The current roster is:
- John G. Roberts, Jr. - Chief Justice of the United States (Oath taken 9/29/2005)
- John Paul Stevens - Associate Justice (Oath taken 12/19/1975)
- Antonin Scalia - Associate Justice (Oath taken 9/26/1986)
- Anthony M. Kennedy - Associate Justice (Oath taken 2/18/1988)
- Clarence Thomas - Associate Justice (Oath taken 10/23/1991)
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Associate Justice (Oath taken 8/10/1993)
- Stephen G. Breyer - Associate Justice (Oath taken 8/3/1994)
- Samuel A. ALito, Jr. - Associate Justice (Oath taken 1/31/2006)
- Sonia Sotomayor - Associate Justice (Oath taken 8/8/2009)