Basic Facts Only court set up by the Constitution Consists of 9 Justices One Chief Justice Eight Associates President Appoints Senate Confirms Term Supreme Court works 9 monthsyear Begins 1 ID: 707594
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Slide1
The Supreme CourtSlide2Slide3
The Current Court (Well, kind of)Slide4
Basic Facts
Only court set up by the Constitution.
Consists of 9 Justices
One Chief Justice
Eight Associates
President Appoints, Senate ConfirmsSlide5
Term
Supreme Court works 9 months/year.
Begins 1
st
Monday in October
Each month is divided into two sessions
2 weeks of Arguments
2 weeks of deliberationSlide6
Who to Choose?
Justices tend to be leading attorneys, law school professors, Judges from other Federal Courts or legal scholars.
Presidents will look for political ideology (remember, this is a life appointment, an opportunity for a President to leave their mark).Slide7
Jurisdiction
Both Original & Appellate
-Original:
Cases involving foreign envoys
Settles disputes among the states
Appellate:
Final say on decisions by a lower courtDetermine constitutionality of laws by states or federal government / The Executive Branch
This is called Judicial Review
(Marbury v. Madison)Slide8
Decisions of the Court
Each case is decided by majority vote.
There are three types of opinions that can be issued.
-Majority Opinion
-Dissenting Opinion
-Concurring Opinion
Most decisions by The Court are split, seldom are they unanimous.Slide9
Limited Powers of Enforcement
-This means that the Supreme Court has little if any power to enforce its decisions.
-They have no money to implement these decisions.
They have no army to enforce decisions.
-
Remember, The Court does not make law, they simply interpret law. Or do they?Slide10
Do Judges Make Law?
Judicial Self-Restraint
(judges interpret Constitution to reflect what framers intended)
vs.
Judicial Activism
(the Constitution should be adapted to reflect current conditions and philosophies)
Should judges just be impartial referees or should they "make law?"
stare decisisSlide11
JURISDICTION IN THE FEDERAL COURTS
1. Subject matter:
a. interpretation of a provision in Const. or federal statute
b. questions of admiralty/maritime law
2. Parties involved:
a. the US or one of its agencies/officers
b. ambass. or other rep of foreign govt
c. State suing another State
d. citizen suing citizen of another State
e. an American citizen suing a foreign govt or one of its subjects