Thread by @didikins4life

#BackToSchool The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court of our land. The 9 justices decide the constitutionality of our laws and they hear select cases as a court of last appeal. Since Presidents pick nominees, elections & voting matter a great deal!

Article III of the Constitution establishes the federal judiciary. 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."
2/19

Although the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court, it permits Congress to decide how to organize it. Congress first exercised this power in the Judiciary Act of 1789. This Act created a Supreme Court with six justices & established the lower federal court system.
3/19

Over the years, various Acts of Congress have altered the number of seats on the Supreme Court, from a low of five to a high of 10. 4/19
#SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA

Shortly after the Civil War, the number of seats on the Court was fixed at 9. Today, there is one Chief Justice & 8 Associate Justices. Like all federal judges, justices are appointed by the President & are confirmed by the Senate. They, typically, hold office for life. 5/19

Article III, Section II of the Constitution establishes the jurisdiction (legal ability to hear a case) of the Supreme Court. #SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA

The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction (a case is tried before the Court) over certain cases, e.g., suits between two or more states and/or cases involving ambassadors and other public ministers. 7/19 #SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA

The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction (the Court can hear the case on appeal) on almost any other case that involves a point of constitutional and/or federal law. 8/19 #SupremeCourt #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA

When exercising its appellate jurisdiction, the Court, with a few exceptions, does not have to hear a case. The Certiorari Act of 1925 gives the Court the discretion to decide whether or not to do so. 9/19 #SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA

In a petition for a writ of certiorari, a party asks the Court to review its case. The Supreme Court agrees to hear about 100-150 of the more than 7,000 cases that it is asked to review each year. 10/19 #SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA #Democracy

The best-known power of the Supreme Court is judicial review, or the ability of the Court to declare a Legislative or Executive act in violation of the Constitution, is not found within the text of the Constitution itself. 11/19 #SCOTUS #backtoschool #JudicialReview

The Supreme Court established this doctrine in the case of Marbury v. Madison (1803).
In this case, the Court had to decide whether an Act of Congress or the Constitution was the supreme law of the land. 12/19 #SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA

The Judiciary Act of 1789 gave the Supreme Court original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus (legal orders compelling government officials to act in accordance with the law). #SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA

The Supreme Court plays a very important role in our constitutional system of government. First, as the highest court in the land, it is the court of last resort for those looking for justice. 14/19 #SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA #democracy

Second, due to #SCOTUS power of judicial review, it plays an essential role in ensuring that each branch of government recognizes the limits of its own power. 15/19 #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA #democracy

Third, it protects civil rights and liberties by striking down laws that violate the Constitution. 16/19 #SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA #CivilRights

Finally, it sets appropriate limits on democratic government by ensuring that popular majorities cannot pass laws that harm and/or take undue advantage of unpopular minorities. 17/19 #SCOTUS #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA #democracy

In essence, #SCOTUS serves to ensure that the changing views of a majority do not undermine the fundamental values common to all Americans, i.e., freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and due process of law. 18/19 #backtoschool #DemsWork4USA #AmericanValues

As Americans, we need to understand how our judiciary is designed to function to protect our democracy, our values & our human rights. We need to demand the highest court in our land be beyond political influence. Vote wisely to ensure our justices are chosen with due care. 19/19

This excellent and important information on the history and workings of the Supreme Court can be found here.. uscourts.gov/about-federal-…