Branches of Government:The Judicial

Branch

The Supreme Court

Building

Lesson 1: The Structure of the Supreme Court

•The Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S.•It consists of the Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices•Each justice holds office constitutionally “during good behavior”—which effectively is for life

Each member is nominated by the

President

And confirmed by the U.S. Senate

Alito

KennedyStevens

Ginsburg

Roberts

BreyerSotomayor

Scalia Thomas

John Paul Stevens

•89 years old

•Associate Justice

•Liberal

•Appointed by Ford

•Entered office in 1975

Antonin Scalia

•73 years old

•Associate Justice

•Conservative

•Appt. by Reagan

•Entered office in 1986

Anthony Kennedy

•73 years old

•Associate Justice

•Moderate Conservative

•Appt. by Reagan

•Entered office in 1988

Clarence Thomas

•61 years old

•Associate Justice

•Conservative

•Appt. by Bush (41)

•Entered office in 1991

Ruth B. Ginsburg

•76 years old

•Associate Justice

•Liberal

•Appt. by Clinton

•Entered office in 1993

Stephen Breyer

•71 years old

•Associate Justice

•Liberal

•Appt. by Clinton

•Entered office in 1994

John Roberts

•54 years old

•Chief Justice

•Conservative

•Appt. by Bush (43)

•Entered office in 2005

Samuel Alito

•59 years old

•Associate Justice

•Conservative

•Appt. by Bush (43)

•Entered office in 2006

Sonia Sotomayor •55 years old

•Associate Justice

•Liberal

•Appt. by Obama

•Entered office in 2009

Political Ideologies of the Justices*

*This is not based on a scientific formula

Lesson 2: Composition and

Compensation

Composition

Congress has the power to set the number of Supreme Court justices

•The nation started with 6 in 1789•The total has been 9 since 1869

Qualifications

The Constitution does not establish any qualifications for justices—not even age or citizenship requirements

Qualifications

However, most presidents nominate Justices with the following characteristics:

•Legal experience•Judicial experience•Bench experience at the federal level

Compensation

•Justices make $208,100•Chief Justice earns $217,400

May retire with a full salary at age 70 with at least 10 years of service

or

at age 65 with at least 15 years of service