
The Supreme Court of the United States is the only federal court explicitly established by the Constitution. Article III of the Constitution establishes the judicial branch of the US federal government, which consists of the Supreme Court and lower courts created by Congress. The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in the constitutional system of government, acting as the highest court in the land and the court of last resort for those seeking justice. It also has the power of judicial review, ensuring that each branch of government recognizes its limits. The Judiciary Act of 1789 established a Supreme Court with six justices and created the lower federal court system.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Supreme Court of the United States |
| Established by | Article III of the Constitution |
| Number of justices | Six (initially), then five to ten, and finally fixed at nine |
| Current number of justices | One Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices |
| Appointment | Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate |
| Tenure | No term limits, typically for life |
| Jurisdiction | Original jurisdiction over certain cases, e.g., suits between states or cases involving ambassadors; appellate jurisdiction on almost any other case involving constitutional/federal law |
| Powers | Interpret the Constitution, strike down state laws that violate the Constitution, protect civil rights and liberties, set limits on democratic government to protect minorities, ensure each branch of government recognizes its limits, decide the constitutionality of federal laws, and resolve disputes involving federal laws |
| Role | Court of last resort for those seeking justice, ensures independence of the judiciary from political branches |
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What You'll Learn
- The Supreme Court is the only federal court established by the Constitution
- Article III of the Constitution establishes the federal judiciary
- The Judiciary Act of 1789 created a Supreme Court with six justices
- The Supreme Court has original and appellate jurisdiction
- The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in the constitutional system of government

The Supreme Court is the only federal court established by the Constitution
The Supreme Court of the United States is the only federal court established by the Constitution. Article III of the Constitution, which establishes the judiciary branch of the U.S. federal government, states that "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." This provision gives Congress the authority to create lower federal courts, which are referred to as "inferior courts" in Article III.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and plays a crucial role in the constitutional system of government. It serves as the court of last resort for those seeking justice and has the power of judicial review, ensuring that each branch of government recognizes its limits. The Court also protects civil rights and liberties by striking down laws that violate the Constitution and setting limits on democratic government to protect the rights of minorities.
The establishment of the Supreme Court was one of the first acts of the new Congress, through the Judiciary Act signed by President Washington on September 24, 1789. This Act created a Supreme Court with six justices and established the lower federal court system. Over the years, the number of seats on the Supreme Court has varied, with a low of five and a high of ten. Today, there is one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.
The Supreme Court has both original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction. It has original jurisdiction over certain cases, such as suits between states or cases involving ambassadors. The Court has appellate jurisdiction over almost any other case that involves a point of constitutional or federal law. In addition, the Court has the authority to strike down state laws found to be in violation of the Constitution.
The decisions of the Supreme Court have a significant impact on society, as they interpret and shape the Constitution. The Court's rulings on constitutional issues, such as civil rights and the separation of powers, are binding on all other courts and serve as precedents for future cases.
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Article III of the Constitution establishes the federal judiciary
Article III of the United States Constitution establishes the federal judiciary, which consists of the Supreme Court of the United States and lower courts created by Congress. Article III, Section I states that "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." This means that while the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court, it gives Congress the power to decide how to organize it and create lower federal courts.
Article III is the provision that deals with the judiciary branch of government, and it empowers the courts to handle cases and controversies arising under federal law and other areas, such as treason. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States and the only federal court explicitly established by the Constitution. It has original jurisdiction over certain cases, such as suits between states or cases involving ambassadors, and appellate jurisdiction over almost any other case involving constitutional or federal law.
The Judiciary Act of 1789 was one of the first acts of Congress, signed by President Washington, which established a federal court system. This Act created a Supreme Court with six justices and the lower federal court system. Congress has also created non-Article III tribunals, sometimes called Article I or legislative courts, which include regulatory agencies such as the United States Tax Court. These courts are staffed by personnel such as administrative law judges, military judges, and federal magistrates.
The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in the constitutional system of government. It is the court of last resort for those seeking justice, and its power of judicial review ensures that each branch of government recognizes its limits. The Court also protects civil rights and liberties by striking down laws that violate the Constitution and setting limits on democratic government to safeguard the fundamental values of Americans. The decisions of the Supreme Court have a significant impact on society, influencing landmark cases involving students, such as Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District in 1969, which held that students could not be punished for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War.
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The Judiciary Act of 1789 created a Supreme Court with six justices
Article III of the US Constitution establishes the judicial branch of the federal government, which consists of the Supreme Court and lower courts created by Congress. The Supreme Court is the only federal court that is explicitly established by the Constitution.
The Judiciary Act of 1789 was one of the first acts of the new Congress, signed into law by President Washington. It established a federal court system, creating a Supreme Court with six justices. The Act also gave the Supreme Court original jurisdiction, as provided for in the Constitution, and granted it appellate jurisdiction in cases from federal circuit courts and state courts where federal claims had been rejected.
The Judiciary Act of 1789 also established the lower federal court system. Congress was given the power to create inferior (lower) courts under Article III, Section 1, and Article I, Section 8. These Article III courts, also known as "constitutional courts", are the only courts with judicial power.
The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in the constitutional system of government. As the highest court in the land, it is the final arbiter for those seeking justice. Its power of judicial review ensures that each branch of government recognises its limits. The Court also protects civil rights and liberties by striking down laws that violate the Constitution and setting limits on democratic government to safeguard minority rights.
The number of seats on the Supreme Court has varied over the years, from a low of five to a high of ten. Since shortly after the Civil War, the number has been fixed at nine, consisting of one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.
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The Supreme Court has original and appellate jurisdiction
Article III of the US Constitution establishes the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the only federal court that is explicitly established by the Constitution.
The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction, meaning that a case is tried before the Court. It has original jurisdiction over certain cases, for example, suits between two or more states and/or cases involving ambassadors and other public ministers.
The Supreme Court also has appellate jurisdiction, meaning that the Court can hear a case on appeal. It has appellate jurisdiction over almost any other case that involves a point of constitutional and/or federal law. For example, the Supreme Court has the power to hear appeals from the Federal circuit courts and state courts where those courts' rulings have rejected Federal claims.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land, and it is the court of last resort for those seeking justice. It plays an important role in ensuring that each branch of the government recognizes the limits of its power. The Court also has the power to strike down state laws found to be in violation of the Constitution, thereby protecting civil rights and liberties.
The Supreme Court consists of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices, who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They typically hold office for life, and their salaries cannot be decreased during their term of office. These restrictions are meant to protect the independence of the judiciary from the political branches of government.
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The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in the constitutional system of government
Article III of the United States Constitution establishes the federal judiciary, with Section I vesting the nation's judicial power in "one supreme Court". This makes the Supreme Court the only federal court explicitly established by the Constitution.
The Supreme Court also protects civil rights and liberties by striking down laws that violate the Constitution. It ensures that popular majorities cannot pass laws that harm or take undue advantage of unpopular minorities. In doing so, it safeguards the fundamental values common to all Americans, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and due process of law.
The Supreme Court's decisions have a profound impact on society at large, influencing not just lawyers and judges but also the general public, including high school students. For example, in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District (1969), the Court ruled that students could not be punished for wearing black armbands to school to protest the Vietnam War, thereby upholding the students' freedom of speech.
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Frequently asked questions
The Supreme Court of the United States is the only federal court that is explicitly established by the Constitution.
Article III establishes the federal judiciary and the judicial branch of the US federal government. It states that "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."
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the US and is the court of last resort for those seeking justice. It plays an important role in ensuring that each branch of the government recognizes its power limits. It also protects civil rights and liberties by striking down laws that violate the Constitution.
The Supreme Court consists of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. These justices are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They hold office for life and their salaries cannot be decreased during their term.
Article III courts, also known as "constitutional courts", are the only courts with judicial power. They are presided over by judges appointed for life. Article I courts, or "legislative courts", consist of regulatory agencies such as the US Tax Court.

























