US Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court is the highest court in the federal State of America. The court’s mission is to arbitrate and interpret the law in all constitutional and legal matters arising in the country and also to guide in the implementation of the supreme law of the country (Hansford, Thomas & Spriggs 2). In the criminal justice system, the organization is supposed to interpret laws pertaining to criminal law and apply the spirit and requirements of justice so as to achieve justice. The organization is headed by the office of the chief justice; the current officeholder is John G. Roberts, Jr. The office of the chief justice works together with associate members appointed by the Congress. Other offices in the court include the office of the clerk, the court counsel, reporter of decisions, curator, public information office, director of information and technology, librarian, Marshall and the counselor to the chief justice.
Upon the ratification of the supreme law of the land, the US Constitution, the supreme court of the US came into being in the year 1789. Article Three of the US Constitution confers powers to the Supreme Court and establishes its authority. It is the only court in the land that is established by the Constitution; all other courts are a creation of the Congress (Hansford, Thomas & Spriggs 4). The first supreme chief justices of the court were Jay Rutledge and Ellsworth who presided over the court twelve years since it was established. Interpretation and application of the laws to cases brought before the judges are the discretions of the courts, it’s also at the discretion of the court to use judicial precedence to decide cases.
The Supreme Court has been a reputable court in the land and has had a good history since its establishment in 1789. This has been attributed to the oath of office which is taken by the judges and other court officials (Hansford, Thomas & Spriggs 6). This is a requirement before one can assume office in the court. To professionalize the organization, the Supreme Court offers internship opportunities to students. Although students do not participate directly in the pending cases, exposure to this professional environment in their career helps them gain some skills necessary for their professional development. The court also conducts a fellowship program by identifying talented professionals that do not work for the court and provides them with the opportunities to gain skills within the precincts of the court. Through this, the court promotes professionalism in the justice department.
There are various job professionals that are needed in the US Supreme Court, the court, therefore, has different requirements for different professions, however, some requirements that cut across all the professionals include; the applicant must be a citizen of the United States, the applicant must meet the required training at the collegiate, postgraduate or undergraduate level, depending on the job specifications. The applicant is also required to provide their original identification documents.
Currently, the organization is involved in trying a corruption case involving Robert McDonnell, a former Virginia governor. The case against the governor is that of accepting some gifts amounting to $177,000 so that he could help to promote some nutrition supplements ("U.S. Top Court Poised). The interpretation of the application of the corruption law, in this case, has been the center of argument since many judges have argued that the acts of the governor could not be considered as amounting to corruption before the law. On 27, April 2016. The court was poised to rule against the prosecution and the prosecution argued that such a decision would create a precedent that would make politicians escape the law.
References
Hansford, Thomas G., and James F. Spriggs. The politics of precedent on the US Supreme Court. Princeton University Press, 2006.
"U.S. Top Court Poised to Overturn Virginia Ex-governor's Bribery Conviction." Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 2016. Web. 05 May 2016.
