With its rulings against Trump administration regarding international students in Ivy League Universities like Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford, the US Supreme Court has come in the news recently. “Equal Justice Under Law” is the motto of this apex court of the richest democracy. These words are written above the main entrance to the Supreme Court Building. They express the ultimate responsibility of the Supreme Court of USA.
The Court is the highest tribunal in the Nation for all cases and controversies arising under the Constitution or laws of the USA. The Court consists of Chief Justice and nine Associate Justices. John G. Roberts Jr. is Chief Justice. Nominated by President George W. Bush, he assumed that office on September 29, 2005.
There are four women judges including a Black one. Thus there is equality of opportunities as far as gender justice is concerned. The Court was established on March 4, 1789. Its address is 1 First Street, NE, Washington, DC.
The judges including the Chief Justice are appointed by the President for their lifetime subject to the confirmation of the Senate. During its 236 years, the Court has upheld the law. Recently it was in the news for piling vast amounts of paper, though it has a digital system in place. But along with the digital system, it requires all the litigants who are not prisoners or poor to file 40 paper copies of many documents. This leads to accumulation of a huge quantity of paper. According to environmentalists, this practice should discontinue.
The Court’s rulings during the last 236 years shows progressive attitude in handling a majority of cases. Even the composition of the Court, consisting of 5 men and 4 women including a Black one, is an example of a modern approach to law. As the SC judges are appointed for a lifetime, they are completely free of executive. This is a main characteristic of US Constitution. It’s based on separation of powers principle.
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Common Americans have complete trust in the Supreme Court. The Court has so far fulfilled its commitment to the US Constitution by following its motto “Equal Justice Under Law”. The present dispensation under Justice Roberts is regarded as conservative.
The SC judges go through a process of nomination, confirmation and appointment by the President. Clarence Thomas is the longest serving justice with a tenure of 33 years and 259 days as of July 9, 2025. The most recent Justice is Ketanji B. Jackson, whose tenure began on June 30, 2022, after her confirmation by the Senate.
The SC is criticized for its too slow working with too few cases and leaks and inadvertent publications. But by and large the SC has kept its image clean and free of corruption.
