The Supreme Court

Work of the Federal Courts

Remember: 97% of cases are handled by state courts

Federal Court Jurisdiction– Federal Question

Federal statute or regulation U.S. Constitution

– Diversity Jurisdiction

Supreme Court

Article III Appointment Life Tenure Composition

– Associate Justices– Chief Justice– Law Clerks

Current Court

Current Court

John Roberts (CJ) G.W. Bush 2005 52

John Paul Stevens Ford 1975 86

Antonin Scalia Reagan 1986 71

Anthony Kennedy Reagan 1988 70

David Souter G.H.W. Bush 1990 67

Clarence Thomas G.H.W. Bush 1991 58

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Clinton 1993 74

Steven Breyer Clinton 1994 68

Samuel Alito G.W. Bush 2006 56

Supreme Court’s Work

First Monday in October – June/July

Original Jurisdiction v. Appellate Jurisdiction

Cert Petitions “Rule of Four”

Certiorari Petitions

Term All Filings IFP FilingsCases Argued

2004 7496 5755 87

2005 8521 6846 87

Deciding on the Merits

Information– Litigant Briefs– “Record”– Amicus Briefs– Oral Argument

30 minutes per side

Conference Votes

Opinions

Opinion of the Court– Majority– Plurality

Dissenting Opinions Concurring Opinions

Opinions

Describe History of Case Describe “Precedent”

– Stare decisis– Reason by analogy

Holding– Becomes precedent– Weight depends on majority v. plurality

What Matters

Not Just Who Wins / Who Loses REASONING