United States Supreme Court

Definition

The United States Supreme Court is the highest federal court in the country. It consists of nine justices who are appointed for life by the President with Senate confirmation. The Supreme Court has ultimate authority in interpreting constitutional issues and resolving disputes between states or between individuals and states.

Related terms

Constitutional Law: Laws that deal with interpreting and applying provisions within a country's constitution, such as those cases heard by the United States Supreme Court.

Precedent: A legal decision or ruling that serves as an authoritative guide for future similar cases, established through previous judgments made by higher courts.

Writ of Certiorari: An order issued by a higher court (like the U.S. Supreme Court) directing a lower court to send up records from a case for review. The Supreme Court uses this to select which cases it will hear.