Does the US Supreme Court propose amendments to the US Constitution?

Answer 1

No. According to Article VI, the Constitution is the "supreme law of the land" which justices of the US Supreme Court swear to uphold. The Constitution is the standard by which other legislation is judged; the Constitution itself is not subject to judicial review.

Answer 2

Absolutely not. The Supreme Court considers the Constitution the supreme law on which they base all their decisions. Only Congress and the States can change the Constitution.

In order to Amend the Constitution, the measure must pass both the House and Senate by a 2/3 (supermajority) vote. It is then submitted to the states, which are given a "reasonable amount of time" (often 7 years) in which to review and decide whether to ratify the Amendment. As soon as 3/4 of the states vote to ratify, the new Amendment is adopted and becomes law.

Unlike ordinary legislation, the Constitution is not subject to judicial review.

Answer 3

No, that would represent a conflict of interest and a violation of the separation of powers. The Supreme Court is required to abide by constitutional amendments (or their interpretation of them), so they can't participate in the Amendment process. The Constitution reserves that power exclusively for Congress and the States.

Answer 4

No. The Supreme Court is not allowed to participate in amending the Constitution.

An Amendment can be added to the Constitution by Congress and the States working together. The House of Representatives or Senate may propose an amendment, but adoption requires a super-majority (two-thirds) vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate followed by ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures. Repealing an existing Amendment to the Constitution requires the addition of a new Amendment -- as was done with the 18th Amendment (prohibition), which was repealed by the 21st Amendment.

The rules for amending the Constitution are outlined in Article V of the Constitution:

Article V

"The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate."