The court of last resort for the federal system is the Supreme Court. A chief justice and eight associate justices comprise the Supreme Court. With the advice and consent of the Senate, the President of the United States appoints the justices of the Supreme Court .
The Supreme Court has a very important function in the government of the United States. First, it being the highest court in the country, it is the court of last resort for those who seek justice. The second major role of the Supreme Court is to guarantee that all the branches of government work within its boundaries, including the President and Congress. Another important mandate given to the Supreme Court is that it can invalidate legislative and executive actions which are deemed in conflict with the Constitution. The Court ensures that the civil rights and liberties of the citizens are not violated. Moreover, it has “original and exclusive jurisdiction over all actions or proceedings against ambassadors, or public ministers of foreign states and all controversies between two or more states”.
Before the Supreme Court decides on whether to hear a case or not, a petition for certiorari has to be filed, which is a request for the Supreme Court to hear a case. If the justices agree to hearing the case, a writ of certiorari is then issued. Of the nine justices, four should agree to accept a case. The merits stage then begins where both parties file a new set of briefs after which the oral arguments are heard by the Supreme Court. The Justice’s Conference then follows after the oral arguments are concluded. A majority opinion is then written and publicly delivered.
The Supreme Court is very significant in the United States. It is the final arbiter in controversies that arise under the Constitution. Americans look at the Supreme Court as the institution that provides equal justice to all.
Works Cited
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. "About the Supreme Court." n.d. United States Courts. Web. 30 August 2016.
Champion, Dean John, Richard D. Hartley and Gary A. Rabe. "Chapter 2 - The structure of American courts." Champion, Dean John, Richard D. Hartley and Gary A. Rabe. Criminal Courts: Structure, Process and Issues. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Higher Education, Inc., 2012. 1-32. Book.
Supreme Court of the United States. "The Supreme Court of the United States." 27 August 2016. Supreme Court of the United States. Web. 30 August 2016.
