The Make-Up of the Supreme Court

1. The Make-Up of the Supreme Court How is the Supreme Court organized & how are justices chosen?

2. How is the Supreme Court viewed in legal standing? • The Supreme Court is the “court of last resort” • No more appeals • “Final” verdicts • Cases: • Federal cases • State cases

3. Justices: 1 Chief Justice 8 Associate Justices Other officials: Law clerks Researchers Police / Guides Who sits on the Supreme Court?

4. Justice Alito Justice Bryer Justice Sotomayor Justice Kagan Justice Scalia Justice Kennedy Justice Thomas Chief Justice Roberts Justice Ginsburg

5. Known as the “Great Hall”; an overhead look of the main courtroom in the Supreme Court building

6. Closer shot of the Supreme Court’s main bench for the justices

7. The Supreme Court library on the fourth floor of the building

8. Supreme Court clerks are often young lawyers just out of law school who ranked at the top of their class • They go through a very intensive application process to get these jobs • Requirements: • Research • Helping w/ paperwork

9. On the Supreme Court’s top floor there is a basketball court nicknamed “the highest court in the land”

10. Two (2) ways: Nominated specifically by the President Nominated by the other justices In both cases, Senate approval is needed How is a Chief Justice chosen?

11. Process: Candidates are nominated by the President and /or other justices Prior to confirmation, the candidate will go through a “confirmation hearing” Senate Judiciary Committee Confidence vote before the full Senate (majority needed) How are Associate Justices chosen?

12. An inside / empty shot of the Senate Judiciary Committee chamber at the US Capital Building

13. Senate Confirmation Hearing in progress

14. What is the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court? • “The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State; between Citizens of different States; between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects…”

15. What is the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court? • What does all that mean? • The Court can hear the following: • Constitution questions / merit (most of cases) • Treaties • Ambassadors, Officials, etc. • Controversies between States • Controversies between Citizens • Controversies between States & Citizens • Controversies between the Federal gov., States , and / or citizens

16. All of these cases fall under the Court’s “appellate jurisdiction” The power to review, revise, or overturn Supreme Court justices can pick and chooses cases by simple majority vote (4 votes) What is the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?