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Answer
The Supreme Court hasn't always convened a new Term on the first Monday in October; the opening day has changed over the years in order to lengthen the annual Term as their caseload expanded. The Supreme Court originally met for two terms per year; the first beginning on the first Monday in February, and the second beginning the first Monday in August. Congress reduced the requirement to a single Term, commencing on the first Monday of February, when it passed the Judiciary Act of 1802.
The opening date of the Supreme Court Term gradually advanced over the years to allow justices time to complete their growing docket of cases. The final change was written by Justice James C. McReynolds in 1917 accommodate the growing influx of appellate cases.
Explanation
The Judiciary Act of 1789 originally set the calendar for two Terms, one beginning on the first Monday in February, and the second beginning the first Monday in August. The dates were chosen because they marked the beginning of a new quarter, and provided the best travel conditions for the justices, who were also responsible for traveling the country "riding circuit."
Due to a political power struggle between the Federalist and Democratic-Republicans, the Federalist Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1801 immediately before the newly elected Democratic-Republicans took office, in order retain control over the Judicial branch of government. The Act expanded the number of District and Circuit Courts, relieving the justices of their circuit riding responsibilities, reducing the number of Supreme Court justices by one (by attrition), and changing the date of the Terms to spring and fall.
When the Democratic-Republicans took office in March 1801, just a few months after the Judiciary Act of 1801 passed, they repealed the act, resetting the Terms to February and August. The next year, Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1802, which reduced the number of Supreme Court Terms to one, beginning the first Monday in February of each year (due to the timing of this legislation, the Supreme Court didn't meet at all in 1802).
The opening date of the Supreme Court Term gradually advanced over the years to allow justices time to complete their growing docket of cases.
1803............First Monday in February
1826............Second Monday in January
1844............First Monday in December
1873............Second Monday in October
1917............First Monday in October
The Judicial Code of 1911 abolished the old Circuit Court system, and allowed the Supreme Court to set its own Terms. The final change, from the second Monday in October to the first Monday in October was written by Justice James C. McReynolds, and was the final scheduling adjustment to accommodate the growing influx of appellate cases.
In 1925, Congress passed a judiciary act that allowed the US Supreme Court discretion over the appellate cases it chose to hear (with the exception of a few mandatory classes that have slowly been eliminated). The Court now controls the docket by limiting the number of cases to which it grants certiorari, allowing them to retain their traditional first Monday in October opening day.
For more information about the Court's schedule, see Related Questions, below.
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What is the opening day of a US Supreme Court Term?
US Supreme Court Terms always begin and end on the first Monday in October. In 2011, the date will be Monday, October 3.For additional information, see Related Questions, below.
What is the Supreme Court term?
United States Supreme Court yearly terms begin the first Monday in October and end the next year prior to the start of the new term, with actual sessions ending in July or June. Supreme Court justices are appointed for life.
When does the US Supreme Court Term begin?
The US Supreme Court Term runs from the first Monday in October until the first Monday in October of the following year, so they meet once a year, all year.In the early days of the Court, when the justices had to "ride circuit" and adjudicated few cases at the Supreme Court level, the Court met twice per year. According to the Judiciary Act of 1789, the Court originally convened in February and August.
What is the next year for a new term in the US Supreme Court justice if the term ended January 31 2006?
A US Supreme Court Term runs from the first Monday in October until the first Monday of October in the following year; the Term never ends on January 31. If, for some reason, Congress decided to change the date of Supreme Court operations, the new Term would begin the day the old Term ended, January 31, 2006.
How is a US Supreme Court Term divided?
Supreme Court Terms begin the first Monday in October and end the first Monday in October of the following year.A Term is divided into intervals where the Court is "sitting," or actively hearing arguments, and when it is "recessed," or handling administrative tasks (writing opinions, reviewing new cases, etc.).The Supreme Court hears oral arguments from first Monday in October (or sometimes a bit earlier) through the end of April of the following year. During this period, the Court rotates sittings and recesses every two weeks.From the end of April until the end of June, the Court only convenes to announce decisions. The Court "rises," or concludes the active business for the Term, at the end of June. During the summer recess, the justices take vacations and review petitions for cases under consider for the upcoming Term.
When does the Supreme Court's annual session or Term begin?
The US Supreme Court rises at the end of June, but does not remain in recess long; over the summer they review cases for the upcoming Term, then hold a conference in late August to discuss which cases they want to hear. The new Term always begins on the first Monday in October.
When did justice earl warren begin and end his supreme court term?
October 2, 1953– June 23, 1969
When do US Supreme Court Terms begin and end and how many months do the justices hear arguments?
The Supreme Court Term begins the first Monday in October (October 3, in 2011) and ends the first Monday in October of the following year; however, the Justices actively hear arguments and announce decisions from October until late June or early July.The Court divides its time into sessions of approximately four weeks. Each session is subdivided into "sittings," which are typically two-week periods during which the Justices hear arguments, and "recesses," during the alternating two weeks where they hold conferences, write opinions and conduct other business of the Court. They may hear as many as 24 cases each sitting.The Court employs this rotating schedule until all docketed cases are reviewed, usually by the end of April or early May. During May and June, the Justices announce orders and decisions; from July through September, they read petitions for writs of certiorari and discuss cases for the upcoming term.Under this schedule, the Supreme Court hears arguments 6-7 months of the year.from October to July (GradPoint)To learn why the Supreme Court Term begins the first Monday in October, see Related Questions, below.
What is heard for two weeks out of each month in the US Supreme Court?
The US Supreme Court hears oral arguments for cases they've granted certiorari two weeks of each month from October through April (occasionally, they will begin hearing arguments "pre-Term," in September).For more information, see Related Questions, below.
How many cases are heard each session of the supreme court?
That depends on what you mean by a "business session."The Supreme Court year is called a Term (begins on the first Monday of October and ends the first Monday of October in the following year). Terms are divided into sittings, two-week rotations in which the court is either actively hearing arguments followed by two weeks of administrative work when they write opinions.The US Supreme Court receives approximately 8,000petitions for writ of certiorari (appeals request) from federal and state courts each year. They can only accept 1-2% of these cases for review because of the tremendous amount of time and work involved in researching and deciding cases.The justices choose approximately 70-85 cases to hear each Term.The justices hear 12-18 cases per two-week sitting, or 1-2 cases per day for three days of each sitting from October through the end of April.
Can US Supreme Court justices ratify Amendments?
No. Constitutional Amendments begin in Congress or at the state level and are ratified by the state legislatures or special state conventions. The US Supreme Court has no role in the formal amendment process.
When did De Jure Segregation begin?
It began when the Supreme Court first approved of de jure segregation inPlessyv.Ferguson(1896)
