What kind of jurisdiction does the US Supreme Court have?

Answer 1

The US Supreme Court is both court of original and appellate jurisdiction. Court of original jurisdiction is when a case is first heard (consideration of facts and testimonies before a jury and/or a judge, also called a trial court). Appellate jurisdiction basically hears cases on appeals. Their job is not to retry the case but to actually hear whether any constitutional rights were violated and whether the case should be sent back to the court of original jurisdiction for another trial (if their was a violation of your constitutional rights).

On average the US Supreme Court only hears about 1-2% of cases that are presented. In order for a case to be a heard, a petition for a Writ of Certiorari is written and presented to either the law clerks (kind of like an assistant for the justices) and/or justices. A petition for a Writ of Certiorari is a written plea for the case to be heard by the court. The US Supreme Court will only hear cases that affect a numerous amount of people in society and will usually not hear cases that affect one person since the Supreme Court's job is to interpret the Constitution (right given to them by the Constitution itself as a way to ensure the system of checks and balances in our government).

If granted certiorari (case is accepted to be heard by the court), the justices of the court review the case to make sure that an individual's constitutional rights were not violated and then they render a decision about the case. There are legal briefs available (can be found online) on many of the courts decisions. In the briefs there is the majority opinion (what the majority of the justices ruled and a dissenting opinion (justices provide an opinion of why they don't agree with the majority). There are also concurring opinions in which justices agree with the outcome or opinion of the case but for different reasons.

After the decision is rendered, the case is sent back to the court of original jurisdiction (Without the constitutional violation of the defendant's rights) or is dismissed (depending on who filed it). The decision of the court sets precedent (creates a rule/standard, which all the courts and anyone associated with the law such as police officers must abide by).

The Supreme Court only hears cases as a court of original jurisdiction on very few occasions, as described in Article III, Section 2 of the US Constitution:

"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 Eleventh Amendment revoked the Court's right to hear cases between a state and citizens of another state due to problems caused by the Supreme Court's early decision in disputed land grants.

Answer 2

The US Supreme Court is both court of original and appellate jurisdiction. Court of original jurisdiction is when a case is first heard (consideration of facts and testimonies before a jury and/or a judge, also called a trial court). Appellate jurisdiction basically hears cases on appeals. Their job is not to retry the case but to actually hear whether any constitutional rights were violated and whether the case should be sent back to the court of original jurisdiction for another trial (if their was a violation of your constitutional rights).

On average the US Supreme Court only hears about 1-2% of cases that are presented. In order for a case to be a heard, a petition for a Writ of Certiorari is written and presented to either the law clerks (kind of like an assistant for the justices) and/or justices. A petition for a Writ of Certiorari is a written plea for the case to be heard by the court. The US Supreme Court will only hear cases that affect a numerous amount of people in society and will usually not hear cases that affect one person since the Supreme Court's job is to interpret the Constitution (right given to them by the Constitution itself as a way to ensure the system of checks and balances in our government).

If granted certiorari (case is accepted to be heard by the court), the justices of the court review the case to make sure that an individual's constitutional rights were not violated and then they render a decision about the case. There are legal briefs available (can be found online) on many of the courts decisions. In the briefs there is the majority opinion (what the majority of the justices ruled and a dissenting opinion (justices provide an opinion of why they don't agree with the majority). There are also concurring opinions in which justices agree with the outcome or opinion of the case but for different reasons.

After the decision is rendered, the case is sent back to the court of original jurisdiction (Without the constitutional violation of the defendant's rights) or is dismissed (depending on who filed it). The decision of the court sets precedent (creates a rule/standard, which all the courts and anyone associated with the law such as police officers must abide by).

The Supreme Court only hears cases as a court of original jurisdiction on very few occasions, as described in Article III, Section 2 of the US Constitution:

"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 Eleventh Amendment revoked the Court's right to hear cases between a state and citizens of another state due to problems caused by the Supreme Court's early decision in disputed land grants.