What is a Supreme Court Justice?
The United States Supreme Court is the head of the judicial branch
in both the Federal and State governments of America. The purpose of the United
States Supreme Court is to ensure and fortify that laws and decisions made
within the judicial system of the United States are held in alignment with the Federal
and State Constitutions of America.
As is common with any institution in the United States,
individuals must be employed to carry out the duties and responsibilities of
the organization or entity. Those individuals within the Supreme Court are
referred to as Supreme Court Justices.
Supreme Court Justices are judges who are employed by the Federal
or State governments of the United States who are responsible for deciphering
and ensuring the legal system of the country. The laws of the United States are
meant to keep society in harmony. Each legal matter that the Supreme Court
Justices uphold or review is typically delivered in relation to the United
States Constitution.
The United States Supreme Court is headed by the Chief Justice
of the United States. In addition to the Chief Justice, there are eight Supreme
Court Justices who act as associates. All Supreme Court Justices of the United
States Supreme Court are nominated by the President and subsequently appointed
through confirmation awarded by the Senate. All Supreme Court Justices have
life tenure and receive a salary currently set at $223,500 per year.
Duties of Supreme Court Justices
The first duty of Supreme Court Justices is to decipher what
cases should be considered by the Supreme Court. As the highest court in the
land, the United States Supreme Court Justices cannot evaluate all legal
matters that are appealed in the country.
The United States has a complex
judiciary system comprised of lower courts and jurisdictional systems. As a
result of this hierarchy, United States Supreme Court Justices must effectively
evaluate which cases may be heard by the most prominent court in the
country.
The evaluation process coordinated by Supreme Court Justices is
administered by determining whether or not the proposed legal matters or cases
contain questions of Constitutional violations. That being said, almost all
legal matters that come before Supreme Court Justices are appeals, meaning they
were cases that were previously decided in the lower courts of the
nation.
In most instances, only matters involving a Constitution are
evaluated by Supreme Court Justices. These individuals, as members of the
Supreme Court, possess the authority to overturn matters that were previously
rendered in the lower courts.
There are, however, a few instances or legal
matters where the Supreme Court Justices possess original jurisdiction. This
label simply means that the Supreme Court Justices will be the first court to
hear a legal matter. Before taking on this responsibility, all Supreme Court
Justices must decide that the case is within their jurisdiction or involves a Constitutional
equation.
List of Current Supreme Court Justices:
Antonin Scalia
Anthony Kennedy
Clarence Thomas
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Stephen Breyer
John G. Roberts
Samuel Alito
Sonia Sotomayor
Elena Kagan.
