U.S. Supreme Court

We live in what is supposed to be the best nation on earth. We have freedoms that many do not have and we have opportunity that many never see. This country is one that embraces diversity and personal rights. While we have all of these things we have also reached a point in our existence where there are so many people and so many diverse ideas that it’s difficult to sort out what is and isn't a constitutional right sometimes. The Supreme Court is often charged with making those decisions, which outs the Supreme Court in the position of not only interpreting the constitution but also shaping it as well by its decisions and rulings.

Other than establishing it, Article III of the U.S. Constitution sets up a way to judge the laws by creating the Supreme Court. “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.” Basically, the Constitution left it up to Congress and the Justices of the Court to develop the authorities and jobs of the entire Judicial Branch of the government. The very first bill introduced in the United States Senate was the Judiciary Act of 1789. It divided the country in 13 judicial districts.

The 1789 Act called for the Supreme Court to consist of a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices, and for the court to reside in the Nation’s Capital. At first, the Supreme Court was not even sure if it had the power to decide the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress. This situation changed in 1801 when President John Adams appointed John Marshall of Virginia as fourth Chief Justice. Marshall defined the role and powers of both the Supreme Court and the judiciary system as we know today.

The current members of the U.S. Supreme Court is as follows; John G. Roberts, appointed in the year 2005 by President George W. Bush at the age of 50, John P. Stevens, appointed in 1975 by President Gerald Ford at the age of 55, Samuel A. Alito, Jr. , appointed in 2006 by President George W. Bush, Antonin Scalia, appointed in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan at the age of 50, Anthony Kennedy, appointed in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan at the age of 52, David Souter, appointed in 1990