The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the highest court system in the United States. They deal with cases ranging from people in prison who think they have been wrongly convicted, to Presidents who are trying to defend their position in office. The Supreme Court heads the judicial branch of the United States government.

It is the only court established by the Constitution. All of the other courts in the United States must follow the ruling or the decision made by the justices of the Supreme Court. The Constitution also gives the Supreme Court the power to judge whether federal, state, and local governments are acting within the law. The Supreme Court can also decide if a president's action is unconstitutional.The decisions of the Supreme Court are absolute and final; in contrast, the decisions and judgments reached in lower courts may be appealed or questioned. The Court only chooses about 150 cases each year.

The justices are appointed by the president and approved by a vote of the Senate. The justices serve for life unless they choose to retire. Their job is to interpret laws passed by Congress.

Since our government was established, more than one hundred justices have served on the Court.