Judicial
Branch
THE
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
United
States Supreme Court Building
One First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20543
Phone, 202-479-3000.
Internet, http://www.supremecourtus.gov
.
MEMBERS:
Chief
Justice of the United States
William
H. Rehnquist
Associate Justices
- John
Paul Stevens,
- Sandra
Day O'Connor,
- Antonin
Scalia,
- Anthony
M. Kennedy,
- David
H. Souter,
- Clarence
Thomas,
- Ruth
Bader Ginsburg,
- Stephen
G. Breyer
Officer
Positions:
- Administrative
Assistant to the Chief Justice
- Clerk
- Court
Counsel
- Curator
Catherine
- Director
of Budget and Personnel
- Director
of Data Systems
- Librarian
- Marshal
- Public
Information Officer
- Reporter
of Decisions
The
Supreme Court
Article
III, section 1, of the Constitution of the United States
provides that ``[t]he 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.''
The
Supreme Court of the United States was created in accordance
with this provision and by authority of the Judiciary Act
of September 24, 1789 (1 Stat. 73). It was organized on
February 2, 1790. Article III, section 2 of the Constitution
defines the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
The
Supreme Court is comprised of the Chief Justice of the United
States and such number of Associate Justices as may be fixed
by Congress, which is currently fixed at eight (28 U.S.C.
1). The President nominates the Justices with the advice
and consent of the Senate. Article III, section 1, of the
Constitution further provides that ``[t]he Judges, both
of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices
during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive
for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished
during their Continuance in Office.''
Court
officers assist the Court in the performance of its functions.
They include the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice,
the Clerk, the Reporter of Decisions, the Librarian, the
Marshal, the Director of Budget and Personnel, the Court
Counsel, the Curator, the Director of Data Systems, and
the Public Information Officer.
Appellate
Jurisdiction
Appellate
jurisdiction has been conferred upon the Supreme Court by
various statutes under the authority given Congress by the
Constitution. The basic statute effective at this time in
conferring and controlling jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
may be found in 28 U.S.C. 1251, 1253, 1254, 1257-1259, and
various special statutes. Congress has no authority to change
the original jurisdiction of this Court.
Rulemaking
Power
Congress
has from time to time conferred upon the Supreme Court power
to prescribe rules of procedure to be followed by the lower
courts of the United States.
Court
Term
The
term of the Court begins on the first Monday in October
and lasts until the first Monday in October of the next
year. Approximately 8,000 cases are filed with the Court
in the course of a term, and some 1,000 applications of
various kinds are filed each year that can be acted upon
by a single Justice.
Access
to Facilities
The
Supreme Court is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal legal holidays.
Unless the Court or Chief Justice orders otherwise, the
Clerk's office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except on Federal legal holidays. The library is
open to members of the bar of the Court, attorneys for the
various Federal departments and agencies, and Members of
Congress. For further information concerning the Supreme
Court, contact the Public Information Office, United States
Supreme Court Building, One First Street NE., Washington,
DC 20543. Phone, 202-479-3211. Internet, http://www.supremecourtus.gov
.
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