United States Supreme Court

    The United States Supreme Court is the country's highest federal court and the head of the government's judicial branch. Created by the U.S. Constitution, the Supreme Court has sole authority over all laws in the United States and is responsible for determining their constitutionality.

    The Justices of the Supreme Court are nominated by the United States President however it is the Senate’s responsibility to vote on the appointment of the new judge and needs the majority vote to officially swear in the judge. The chief justice also presides over impeachment hearings against the U.S. President. Chief Justice John Jay and Associate Justices John Rutledge, William Cushing, John Blair, Robert Harrison, and James Wilson made up the First Supreme Court. In the early years of the Supreme Court John Marshall was the Chief Justice and during that time helped move the Supreme Court towards the prestigious institution it is today.

    It is difficult to get a case to the Supreme Court as you must place a petition to even have the case considered. You first have to go through the lower courts before making your way up to as high as the supreme court for your requested hearing. This is so there can be established facts as well as determined constitutional or not.

    While the first court consisted of six judges, Congress increased the number of seats from 5 to 10, six times over the years. Congress set the number of seats to nine in 1869, where they have remained until today.