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

Associate Justices:ANTONIN SCALIA – President Reagan (1986)ANTHONY M. KENNEDY – President Reagan (1988)CLARENCE THOMAS – President Bush (1991)RUTH BADER GINSBURG – President Clinton (1993)STEPHEN G. BREYER – President Clinton (1994)SAMUEL A. ALITO, JR. – President Bush (2006)SONIA SOTOMAYOR – President Obama (2009)ELENA KAGAN – President Obama (2010)

Retired Justices:SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR – President Reagan (1981) – Retired June 2006DAVID H. SOUTER – President Bush (1990) – Retired June 2009JOHN PAUL STEVENS – President Ford (1975) – Retired June 2010

The U.S. Supreme Court Justices

The U.S. Supreme Court Justices

John G. RobertsChief JusticeBush - 2005

Samuel Anthony Alito, JrAssociate Justice

Bush - 2006

Stephen G. BreyerAssociate Justice

Clinton - 1994

Ruth Bader GinsburgAssociate Justice

Clinton - 1993

Clarence ThomasAssociate Justice

Bush - 1991

Anthony M. KennedyAssociate Justice

Reagan - 1988Antonin Scalia

Associate JusticeReagan - 1986

Elena KaganAssociate Justice

Obama - 2010Sonia SotomayorAssociate Justice

Obama - 2009

The 11 U.S. presidents since World War II have appointed 28 Supreme Court members. Republicans 17, Democrats 11.

The U.S. Federal Court System

How Cases Make Their Way to the U.S. Supreme CourtEach year, about 4,500 cases are requested for review by the Supreme Court. Less than 200 cases are actually decided by the Court each year. There are 3 ways for a case to make its way to the US Supreme Court.

1. There are cases in which the US Supreme Court has original jurisdiction (heard there first). Cases in which a state is a party and cases dealing with diplomatic personnel, like ambassadors, are the two examples.

2. Those cases appealed from lower federal courts can be heard at the Supreme Court. Some laws obligate (or force) the Supreme Court to hear them. But most come up for review on the writ of certiorari, a discretionary writ that the court grants or refuses at its own discretion. The writ is granted if four of the justices want it to be heard.

3. The US Supreme Court reviews appeals from state supreme courts that present substantial "federal questions," usually where a constitutional right has been denied in the state courts.

In both civil and criminal law, the Supreme Court is the final court of appeal.

MARBURY v. MADISON (1803)Judicial Review, Federalism

BROWN v. BOARD of EDUCATION (1954)School Segregation, Equal Protection

MIRANDA v. ARIZONA (1966) Criminal Suspect's Rights Include Being Informed of Rights to Counsel and to Remain Silent

TINKER v. DES MOINES (1969)Student Speech, Symbolic Speech

ROE v. WADE (1973)Abortion, Right of Privacy

UNITED STATES v. NIXON (1974)Watergate, Checks and Balances

Famous Supreme Court Cases