JUDICIAL BRANCH THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES Members: WILLIAM H. REHNQUIST O'CONNOR, ANTONIN SCALIA, Officers: Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice SALLY M. RIDER Article III, section 1, of the Constitution of the United States provides that "[t]he judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish." The Supreme Court of the United States The President nominates the Justices was created in accordance with this with the advice and consent of the provision and by authority of the Senate. Article III, section 1, of the Judiciary Act of September 24, 1789 (1 Constitution further provides that "[t]he Stat. 73). It was organized on February Judges, both of the supreme and inferior 2, 1790. Article III, section 2 of the Courts, shall hold their Offices during Constitution defines the jurisdiction of good Behaviour, and shall, at stated the Supreme Court Times, receive for their Services, a The Supreme Court is comprised of Compensation, which shall not be the Chief Justice of the United States and diminished during their Continuance in such number of Associate Justices as Office." may be fixed by Congress, which is Court officers assist the Court in the currently fixed at eight (28 U.S.C. 1). performance of its functions. They include the Administrative Assistant to of procedure to be followed by the For further information concerning the Supreme Court, contact the Public Information Office, United States Supreme Court Building, One First Street NE., Washington, DC 20543. Phone, 202-479-3211. Internet, www.supremecourtus.gov. Lower Courts Article III of the Constitution declares, in 28 U.S.C. 1291, 1292) of district courts. section 1, that the judicial power of the They also are empowered to review and United States shall be invested in one enforce orders of many Federal Supreme Court and in "such inferior administrative bodies. The decisions of Courts as the Congress may from time to the courts of appeals are final except as time ordain and establish." The Supreme they are subject to review on writ of Court has held that these constitutional certiorari by the Supreme Court. courts “. . . share in the exercise of the The United States is divided judicial power defined in that section, geographically into 12 judicial circuits, can be invested with no other including the District of Columbia. Each jurisdiction, and have judges who hold circuit has a court of appeals (28 U.S.C. office during good behavior, with no 41, 1294). Each of the 50 States is power in Congress to provide assigned to one of the circuits. The otherwise." territories and the Commonwealth of United States Courts of Appeals The Puerto Rico are assigned variously to the courts of appeals are intermediate first, third, and ninth circuits. There is appellate courts created by act of March also a Court of Appeals for the Federal 3, 1891 (28 U.S.C. ch. 3), to relieve the Circuit, which has nationwide Supreme Court of considering all appeals jurisdiction defined by subject matter. At in cases originally decided by the present each court of appeals has from 6 Federal trial courts. They are empowered to 28 permanent circuit judgeships (179 to review all final decisions and certain in all), depending upon the amount of interlocutory decisions (18 U.S.C. 3731; judicial work in the circuit. Circuit judges hold their offices during good established under Article III of the behavior as provided by Article ill, Constitution pursuant to the Federal section 1, of the Constitution. The judge Courts Improvement Act of 1982 (28 senior in commission who is under 70 U.S.C. 41, 44, 48), as successor to the years of age (65 at inception of term), former United States Court of Customs has been in office at least 1 year, and and Patent Appeals and the United has not previously been chief judge, States Court of Claims. The jurisdiction serves as the chief judge of the circuit of the court is nationwide (as provided for a 7-year term. One of the justices of by 28 U.S.C. 1295) and includes appeals the Supreme Court is assigned as circuit from the district courts in patent cases; justice for each of the 13 judicial appeals from the district courts in circuits. Each court of appeals normally contract, and certain other civil actions hears cases in panels consisting of three in which the United States is a judges but may sit en banc with all defendant; and appeals from final judges present. The judges of each circuit (except the decisions of the U.S. Court of Federal Circuit) by vote determine the International Trade, the U.S. Court of size of the judicial council for the Federal Claims, and the U.S. Court of circuit, which consists of the chief judge Appeals for Veterans Claims. The and an equal number of circuit and jurisdiction of the court also includes the district judges. The council considers the review of administrative rulings by the state of Federal judicial business in the Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. circuit and may “make all necessary and International Trade Commission, appropriate orders for (its) effective and Secretary of Commerce, agency boards expeditious administration . . ." (28 of contract appeals, and the Merit U.S.C. 332). The chief judge of each Systems Protection Board, as well as circuit may summon periodically a rulemaking of the Department of judicial conference of all judges of the Veterans Affairs; review of decisions of circuit, including members of the bar, to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on discuss the business of the Federal courts Ethics concerning discrimination claims of the circuit (28 U.S.C. 333). The chief of Senate employees; and review of a judge of each circuit and a district judge final order of an entity to be designated elected from each of the 12 geographical by the President concerning circuits, together with the chief judge of discrimination claims of Presidential the Court of International Trade, serve as appointees. members of the Judicial Conference of The court consists of 12 circuit judges. the United States, over which the Chief Justice of the United States presides. This It sits in panels of three or more on each is the governing body for the case and may also hear or rehear a case administration of the Federal judicial en banc. The court sits principally in system as a whole (28 U.S.C. 331). Washington, DC, and may hold court United States Court of Appeals for the wherever any court of appeals sits (28 Federal Circuit This court was U.S.C. 48). Judges Official Station District of Columbia Circuit (Clerk Mark J. Langer; Circuit Justice Washington, DC |