The Judicial Branch!
by: Bridget Daggett
What do they do?
they are in charge of deciding the meaning of laws, how to apply them to real situations, and whether a law breaks the rules of the Constitution.
The justices hear cases that have made their way up through the court system.
they decide cases that may differ from the U.S. Constitution.
- they have a very important power that can affect the lives of many people(3)
The Supreme Court
Appellate Jurisdiction- to ask for your case to be heard again; when another court hears your case
Original Jurisdiction-the power to hear a case for the first time
Cases Heard
- A school district being accused of racial discrimination(appellate jurisdiction)
- New York and New Jersey dispute the rights of navigation on the Hudson river(original jurisdiction)
- A person charged with murder, and claiming the death penalty is unconstitutional(appellate jurisdiction)
- A Russian diplomat claims certain rights under a new treaty(original jurisdiction)
To become a member...
You have to be nominated by the President, and then confirmed by the Senate(2)
Currently in the Supreme Court
John G. Roberts, Jr.
Chief Justice of the United States
Antonin Scalia
Associate Justice
Anthony M. Kennedy
Associate Justice(1)
Clarence Thomas
Associate Justice
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Associate Justice
Stephan G. Breyer
Associate Justice(1)
Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr.
Associate Justice
Sonia Sotomayor
Associate Justice
Elena Kagan
Associate Justice(1)
Sites
1. "Biographies of Current Justices of the Supreme Court." Biographies of Current Justices of the Supreme Court. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
2. "The Judicial Branch." The Judicial Branch. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
3. "Congress for Kids: [Judicial Branch]: The Supreme Court Justices."Congress for Kids: [Judicial Branch]: The Supreme Court Justices. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.