Powers of the Supreme Court

Powers of the Supreme Court
Lauren Mazich

The Supreme Court is the final judge in all cases involving laws of Congress, and the highest law of all — the Constitution. The Supreme Court works in a very unique way. After a case is presented at state levels, a decision is made on whether there is a need to present it at a federal level. The decisions of the Supreme Court are made inside an all white, courthouse in Washington, D.C. Approximately 7,000 to 8,000 requests for hearings are presented each year and less than 100 are heard. If the Court decides not to hear the case, the ruling of the lower court stands.

While the Supreme Court serves as the most powerful judicial court in our system, it is not all-powerful when compared to other branches of government. The system of checks and balances ensures that no one branch of government holds all, or too much of the power. So, while the Supreme Court can tell a president that his or her actions are not allowed by the Constitution or tell Congress that a law it passed violated the U.S. Constitution and is, therefore, no longer a law, the executive and legislative branches also have power over the Supreme Court. The President nominates justices to the court while the Senate must vote its approval of the nominations.

Even though power is said to be divided evenly, The Supreme Court is the most powerful judicial body on Earth; it consists of nine justices. Part of their job is to interpret the Constitution by safe guarding liberty, preserving the union and upholding the rule of law. They draw the boundaries of government power. The Supreme Court has a responsibility to be impartial, keep the faith of the public, and to resolve national problems.