The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is considered to be the most powerful court in all the land. But all most people care about is what they do and how they make their decisions. The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in our government and justice system. In order to understand just how powerful this court is you have to know your history.

The Supreme Court was founded in 1789 and continues to stand today. The Supreme Court has a special role to play in the United States system of government. The Constitution gives it the power to check, if necessary, the actions of the President and Congress. It can tell a President that his actions are not allowed by the Constitution. It can tell Congress that a law it passed violated the U.S. Constitution and is, therefore, no longer a law. It can also tell the government of a state that one of its laws breaks a rule in the Constitution.

The Supreme Court is the final judge in all cases involving laws of Congress, and the highest law of all; the Constitution.Although based on these facts the Supreme Court may seem to be all powerful it is not. The Supreme Court in fact is checked by two branches of government.

Now to the part everyone wants to know; How does the Supreme Court make its decisions? The answer, the decisions of the Supreme Court are made inside a white marble courthouse in Washington, D.C. Here the nine justices receive approximately 7,000 to 8,000 requests for hearings each year. Of these the Court will agree to hear fewer than 100. If the Court decides not to hear the case, the ruling of the lower court stands.

On the morning of that day, the lawyers and spectators enter a large courtroom. When an officer of the Court bangs his gavel, the people in the courtroom stand. The nine justices walk through a red curtain and stand beside nine tall, black-leather chairs. The Chief Justices takes the middle and tallest chair. "Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!" shouts the marshal of the Court. (It's an old Court expression meaning hear ye .) "God save the United States and this Honorable Court."

Read More:

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/role-supreme-court/

Watch More:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6Noye3MKkg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cW4nNFyym8