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The Supreme Court: Approximately 7,500 cases are sent to the Supreme Court each year. Out of these, only 80 to 100 are actually heard by the Supreme Court. When a case comes to the Supreme Court, several things happen. First, the Justices get together to decide if a case is worthy of being brought before the Court. In other words, does the case really involve Constitutional or federal law? Secondly, a Supreme Court ruling can affect the outcome of hundreds or even thousands of cases in lower courts around the country. Therefore, the Court tries to use this enormous power only when a case presents a pressing constitutional issue. Once the Justices decide to take a case, the lawyers for each side have one-half hour in which to present their side of the case in what is called "oral argument." The Justices can interrupt to ask questions at any time. It is considered a great honor for a lawyer to argue, or present, a case before the Supreme Court. A lot of hard work goes into preparing the case, which also includes long and detailed written arguments from both sides. The Supreme Court convenes, or meets, the first Monday in October. It stays in session usually until late June of the next year. When they are not hearing cases, the Justices do legal research and write opinions. On Fridays, they meet in private (in "conference") to discuss cases they've heard and to vote on them. It takes a majority of Justices to decide a case. If the Chief Justice sides with the majority, he will write the majority opinion, or assign it to one of the other Justices on the majority side to write. If the Chief Justice is not in the majority, the most senior Justice (the one who has served on the court the longest) writes the opinion or assigns it to another Justice. These opinions are carefully worded since they become the basis upon which similar future cases are argued. Justices on the minority side are free to write dissenting, or differing, opinions.
Last updated: March 11, 2002 |
