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The Supreme Court

*Purpose of the Supreme Court*

The United States Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and eight associate justices. The Supreme Court each year hears a limited number of the cases it is asked to decide. Those cases may begin in the federal or state courts, and they usually involve very important questions about the Constitution or federal law. Appealing the state courts decision, you can ask it to be taken to the Supreme Court. To get their higher opinion.

*The Justices of the Supreme Court*

John G. Roberts, Jr., is the Chief Justice of the United States. He was born in New York, on January 27, 1955. In 1996 he married a women named Jane Marie Sullivan, they have two children named John and Josephine. Roberts was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2003. George W. Bush nominated John G. Roberts, Jr. as Chief Justice of the United States, and he took his seat on Sept. 29, 2005.

John Paul Stevens is the Associate justice and was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 20, 1920. He is married and has four children. Stevens received his A.B. from the University of Chicago and his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law. President Ford, who recently passed away, nominated him as Associated Justice of the Supreme Court, and he took his seat Sept. 26, 1986.

Antonin Scalia, he was born in Trenton, N.J., March 11, 1936. Antonin served the federal government as General Counselor of the Office of Telecommunications policy from 1972 - 1974. He was appointed Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1982. Reagan nominated him as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and Antonin Scalia took his seat in 1986. He has a wife named Maureen McCarthy and has nine children.

Anthony M. Kennedy, born in Sacramento, California, on July 23, 1936. He is Associate Justice and his married and has three children. He received his B.A. from the London School of Economics and Stanford University. Anthony has served in several positions during his career, the board of the Federal Judicial Center and is a member of the California Army National Guard. President Reagan also nominated him and Kennedy took his seat Feb. 18, 1988.

David Hackett Souter, born on September 17, 1939 in Massachusetts, in a small town named Melrose. He graduated from Harvard Law School and soon joined the New Hampshire attorney general's office. Souter was promoted to state attorney general in 1976, to the state's Superior Court in 1978, and to its Supreme Court in 1983. President George H, W. Bush nominated him and took his seat October 9, 1990.

Clarence Thomas was born in Pin Point, Georgia a small community outside Savannah. Thomas later attended College of the Holy Cross, where he co-founded the school's Black Student Union. President Bush appointed him to the federal court of appeals in 1990 - 1991 and to the US Supreme Court. He became the second African American to take seat.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice, and was born in Brooklyn New York. Ginsburg's older sister died when she was very young. Her mother struggled with cancer throughout Ginsburg's high school years and died the day before her graduation. Ginsburg was appointed a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Circuit by President Carter in 1980. President Clinton nominated her as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and she took her seat August 10, 1993.

Stephen G. Breyer was born in a Jewish family in San Francisco, California, August 15 1938. Breyer's younger brother Charles is also a judge. He is happily married to Joanna Hare and they have three children. Breyer served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Arthur Goldberg during the 1964 term. Clinton nominated him and Breyer took his seat August 3, 1994.

Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr., born on April 1, 1950 in Trenton, New Jersey. He was Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey, and Deputy Assistant Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice. Alito was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 1990. President George W. Bush nominated him and took his seat on January 31, 2006.

*Procedures of the Supreme Court*

The Supreme Court of the United States acts as the highest authority in the third branch of the U.S. government. The Supreme Court starts on the first Monday in October and most of the courts sessions continue until June and sometimes run into July.