How a Case Reaches the Court

1. Date: November 4, 2010Topic: The Supreme CourtAim: How does a case find its way to the Supreme Court?Do Now: Take out question sheet from yesterday.

2. How a Case Reaches the Court • About 8,000 are appealed to the Supreme Court each year. • Only a few hundred are accepted for decision. • Most cases selected on a “rule of four.” 4

4. How the Court Operates A.) Oral Arguments Presented – Justices consider cases from October to early May. B.) Briefs – written documents that support one side of a case. C.) The Court in Conference 1.) The Chief Justice speaks first and then everyone else in order of seniority. 2.) Then they debate the case.

5. Opinions of the Court • Majority Opinion it announces the courts decision in a case and sets out the reasons for which it is based. • Precedents  examples to be followed in similar cases as they arise in the lower courts or reach the Supreme Court. • Concurring Opinion  adds or emphasizes a point that was not made by the majority. • Dissenting Opinion written by the justices who do not agree with the courts majority decision.

8. John Roberts – Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

9. Justice Samuel Alito Justice Stephen Breyer

10. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Justice Anthony Kennedy

11. Justice Antonin Scalia Justice Elena Kagan

12. Justice Sonia Sotomayor Justice Clarence Thomas