How was the Supreme Court created?

Answer 1

There are nine justices, including the Chief Justice, on the US Supreme Court.

According to Article III of the Constitution, justices serve "during good behavior," meaning as long as they don't commit an impeachable offense. For practical purposes, Supreme Court justices are considered to have lifetime appointments.

Answer 2

The US Constitution, adopted on September 17, 1787, and ratified by the states on June 21, 1788, established a framework for the institution and construction of the United States government. The original document consists of a Preamble and seven Articles that describe the form of the working government, as well as the delegation and limitation of powers.

Article III of the Constitution provides for the creation of a Judicial branch (a court system, specifically including the Supreme Court), as well as the general responsibilities and powers vested in this branch, but left the specific implementation and details to Congress (the Legislative branch).

Article III:

Section 1. 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. The 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.

Section 2. The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority;--to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls;--to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction;--to controversies to which the United States shall be a party;--to controversies between two or more states;--between a state and citizens of another state;--between citizens of different states;--between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states, and between a state, or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens or subjects.

In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.

The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury; and such trial shall be held in the state where the said crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any state, the trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law have directed.

Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.

The first bill enacted in the U.S. Congress was the Judiciary Act of 1789, legislature that established the federal court system, including the US Supreme Court. The Act called for a total of six members, a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices, who were officially headquartered in the nation's capitol.

Congress divided the country into three judicial "circuits," the Eastern, Middle, and Southern, that were further subdivided into 13 districts. The original Justices had to "ride the circuit," making the rounds to each of the districts to hear cases twice per year (when Chief Justice John Jay threatened to resign due to the grueling schedule, Congress reduced the Circuit rounds in 1793 to once year). This practice continued until the late 19th-century.

The first Court was supposed to assemble at the Royal Exchange Building on the corner of Broad and Water Streets in New York City (the temporary U.S. Capital from 1783-1790) on February 1, 1790, but transportation problems delayed the initial meeting by one day, so the first session actually began on February 2, 1790.

The original Court was unremarkable. Failing to understand or delineate their role as a branch of the government, they declined to challenge Congress on Constitutional issues or to hear cases of any importance.

The original Justices were:

Chief Justice:

John Jay, New York

Associate Justices:

John Rutledge, South Carolina

William Cushing, Massachusetts

James Wilson, Pennsylvania

John Blair, Virginia

James Iredell, North Carolina

The Court remained weak until President John Adams appointed Chief Justice John Marshall to the bench in 1801, at which time the Judicial branch assumed a more prominent role in shaping the government.

Answer 3

supreme court created