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Every year on the first Monday in October, the nine people you see here return to work after a summer break. These men and one woman are justices on the most powerful court in our nation, the Supreme Court. This week, the justices began their new term. This means that for the next several months, the court will hear arguments and make decisions on many important cases. The Supreme Court is different
from most other courts in the United States in several ways.
For one thing, the Supreme Court only hears cases that have to
do with the Constitution, the basic set of laws on which our
country is based. All other laws in our country are supposed
to follow the rules in the Constitution. Here you see the part
of the Constitution that established the idea of a Supreme Court.
Most courts are led by only one judge. And in most courts, a
group of ordinary people decides whether a person accused of
a crime is guilty or not guilty. If a jury decides whether a
person is guilty or not guilty, that decision must be unanimous
-- everyone on the jury must agree one way or the other. But
on the Supreme Court, the nine justices make decisions, and their
decisions don't have to be unanimous. If a majority -- at least
five -- of the justices agree, their decision is final. Decisions
made by the court can have a big effect on the entire nation. |
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