The Supreme Courts Composition

Running Head: THE SUPREME COURT’S

COMPOSITION 1

The Supreme Court’s Composition

Name

Institution

THE SUPREME COURT’S COMPOSITION 2

Supreme Court composition.

The highest legal court of the United States is constituted to be the Supreme Court. It

derives its authority from the constitution in article three. The court has an appellate jurisdiction

in all cases from the other federal courts in the country and an original jurisdiction some few

cases.

The chief justice of the United States serves as the president of the Supreme Court. The

court has other eight justices who are to be appointed by the president and then given an

approval of service by the senate. Their tenure is of a lifetime, after they have been appointed.

However, it may be terminated by resignation, retirement or removed by impeachment. In the

history of the court, no justice has ever been impeached.

Majority and minority opinions

A Supreme Court opinion is a ruling given in a case. Any reasoning used in the ruling is

always attached as an explanation to the opinion given. The explanations indicate the number of

votes taken by the judges for or against the case. An analysis of the votes taken by the justices

have shown a number of factors that determine the voting alienation such factors include their

political party affiliations, political temperatures during their appointment, their manner of

upbringing and the editorial reports that have been written about them. By these factors, many

infer the ideological leanings and how every justice is likely to take a vote in future cases.

A majority opinion, represents the opinion of the court as a verdict that is given by a

majority of the judges. Minority opinion is an opinion given in written by the judge or judges

who are in disagreement with the majority. These minority opinions are equally important since

they prove insights of the means that led to the decision held by the court. For an opinion to be

THE SUPREME COURT’S COMPOSITION 3

termed as a majority opinion, it requires the approval of five or more judges of the Supreme

Court. A majority opinion is of importance since it gives precedence of riling cases with similar

facts in the Supreme Court and lower federal courts.

Politics.

The judges’ political affiliations put an undue influence upon the work of the court. It is

disturbing to witness politically bent decisions and the divisive controversies in the nomination

of the Supreme Court judges. During appointment of the judges, each side of the political divide,

place efforts to ensure they have the majority. In the court, we have both conservative and liberal

judges. A judge who only believes in the written statute is considered to be a conservative. Such

judges give authority and respect to the legislative arm of the government. Liberal judges use

history and purpose to implement the statute. Generally, they interpret the law in a manner that

gives freedom to the people.

THE SUPREME COURT’S COMPOSITION 4

References.

Bickel, A. M. (1986). The least dangerous branch: the Supreme Court at the bar of

politics. Yale University Press.

O'brien, D. M., & ןיירב'וא מ דיויד. (1986). Storm center: the Supreme Court in American

politics (Vol. 86). New York: Norton.

Phelps, T. M., & Winternitz, H. (1992). Capitol games: Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill,

and the story of a Supreme Court nomination (pp. 332-77). New York: Hyperion.

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