Blog 2: The US Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest federal court in the country. It is the head of the judicial branch and if necessary, can check the actions of the executive and legislative branch. It has the power over all the laws in the United States and evaluates those laws.

Here is the history of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS):

The Supreme Court was established in 1789 and the legislative branch first exercised its power with the Judiciary Act of 1789. It was signed into law by George Washington and said that there will be 6 justices who serve on the court. The six justices of the Supreme Court handed down its first case on August 3rd, 1791. The Supreme Court justices are nominated by the President of the United States and are confirmed or denied by the US Senate. The first Supreme Court chief justice was John Jay. The chief Justice is the highest judicial officer in the nation and holds several responsibilities from weekly meetings to impeachment trials.  The seats on the Supreme Court have changed throughout the years but it has now settled at nine seats. The Supreme Court has held a number of important cases such as Marbury v. Madison and Dred Scott v. Sandford. 

As you can see, the Supreme Court holds many responsibilities and plays a very important role in our nation.