SCOTUS

Unit V

Supreme Court of the United States

Supreme Court is the ultimate court of appeals in the United States.

Usually this is determined by the rule of law or process..not the merit of the case.

Their power to hear a case is discretionary and they do not have to give any reason for refusing to hear a case from their docket.

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If the Supreme Court chooses to hear a case, the lower court ruling stands.

If they chose to not a hear a case, they do not have to give any rationale for why why they have chosen not to hear the case..but sometimes they do.

Session

First Monday of October each year and usually continues in session through June.

Receives and disposes of approximately 5,000 cases a year.– A) Subject matter is not proper.– B) Subject matter is not sufficient to

warrant a review of the full Court.

Session

Cases are heard with all the Justices sitting together in open court.

Each year the Supreme Court hears about 150 cases of national importance and 3/4ths of such decisions are announced in full published opinions.

Majority, Concurring, and Dissenting Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Located in back of the U.S. Capitol Building

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court 2009-10

John G. Roberts, Jr.

Chief Justice Born in 1955 (54) J.D. Harvard Law U.S. Court of

Appeals for DC in 2003 (GWB)

George W. Bush nominated him C.J in 2005 [78-22]

Roman Catholic

John Paul Stevens

Senior Associate Justice

Born in 1920 (89) J.D. Northwestern U.S Court of Appeals

7th Circuit in 1970 (Nixon)

Gerald Ford nominated him in 1975 [98-0]

Protestant

Antonin Scalia

Associate Justice Born in 1936 (73) LL.B Harvard U.S. Court of

Appeals D.C. in 1982 (Reagan)

Ronald Reagan nominated him in 1986 [98-0]

Roman Catholic

Anthony M. Kennedy

Associate Justice Born in 1936 (73) LL.B Harvard U.S. Court of

Appeals 9th Circuit in 1975 (Ford)

Ronald Reagan nominated him in 1988 [97-0]

Roman Catholic

Clarence Thomas

Associate Justice Born in 1948 (61) J.D. Yale U.S. Court of

Appeals D.C. in 1980 (GHWB)

George H.W. Bush nominated him in 1991 [52-48]

Roman Catholic

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Associate Justice Born in 1933 (76) LL.B Columbia U.S. Court of

Appeals D.C. in 1980 (Carter)

Bill Clinton nominated her in 1993 [96-3]

Jewish

Steven G. Breyer

Associate Justice Born in 1938 (71) LL.B. Harvard U.S. Court of

Appeals D.C. in 1980 (Carter)

Bill Clinton nominated him in 1994 [87-9]

Jewish

Samuel A. Alito, Jr.

Associate Justice Born in 1950 (59) J.D. Yale U.S. Court of

Appeals 3rd Circuit in 1990 (GHWB)

George W. Bush nominated in 2006 [58-42]

Roman Catholic

Sonia Sotomayor

Associate Justice Born in 1954 (55) J.D. Yale U.S Court of

Appeals 2nd Circuit in 1998 (Clinton)

Barack Obama nominated her in 2009 [68-31]

Roman Catholic

Justices of the Supreme Court

Nine Justices led by a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. His/her main duty is administrational and ceremonial.

Nomination and confirmation can sometimes become very “political”

Conservative, Moderate, LiberalRepublican to Republican appointeesDemocrat to Democrat appointeesAlmost always…

U.S. Supreme Court 2009-10

Federal system

94 district courts: criminal and civil cases

13 appeals courts: appellateJustices - on for life1 Supreme Court - Judicial review

– Marbury v. Madison

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Unit V