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US Constitution

The supreme law of the United States, the Constitution provided the framework for the creation of the United States government.

Questions

How many justices are on the US Supreme Court?

NineThe Supreme Court of the United States has nine justices: one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. The Judiciary Act...


What is the term of office for US Supreme Court justices?

Supreme Court justice serve for life, or until they select to resign or retire. The nine Supreme Court justices hold their...


Who is the current Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court?

Chief Justice John Glover Roberts, Jr. Former President George W. Bush nominated Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States,...


Which Founding Fathers signed the Constitution?

George WASHINGTON, President New Hampshire: JOHN LANGDON, NICHOLAS GILMAN Massachusetts: NATHANIEL GORHAM, RUFUS...


What does Article VI of the US Constitution declare is the 'Supreme Law of the Land'?

Article VI of the US Constitution addresses federal powers, and was part of the original Constitution created September 17, 1787...


Who nominates or selects US Supreme Court justices?

The President of the United States (Executive branch) nominates members to the Judiciary branch of government, including District...


Who were the Founding Fathers?

Founding Fathers The Founding Fathers were a group of well-educated men who led America in the early stages of her history....


What is the Judicial Branch of the US government?

The Judicial Branch* is one of three independent parts of the US Government, and consists of the federal court system. The...


Who wrote the US Constitution?

Authors of the US Constitution A man named Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania was in charge of the committee to draft the final...


What was Brown v. Board of Education about and how did it help end segregation?

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954)Summary Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483, (1954) was...


What Article of the Constitution states the Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land?

Article VI of the US Constitution addresses federal powers, and was part of the original Constitution created September 17, 1787,...


Who approves US Supreme Court appointments?

AnswerThe Senate (Legislative branch) votes to confirm or reject the Presidents' (Executive branch) US Supreme Court (Judicial...


What was the US Supreme Court case McCulloch v. Maryland 1819 about and what did it establish?

McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819), was a landmark United States Supreme Court decision. In this case, the state of...


What qualifications are needed to become a US Supreme Court justice?

The Constitution of the United States establishes no requirements to be appointed a Justice on the Supreme Court. However,...


Why was the constitution of Maine written?

A constitution, if for a state or country, is enacted to establish fundamental laws and principles of a government. Its...


What is the Supreme Law of the Land in the US?

The US Constitution officially became the "supreme law of the land" in the United States, after ratification, on the...


Why was Brown v. Board of Education significant?

Brown v. Board of Education, 347 US 483 (1954) Brown vs Board of Education disallowed "Separate but Equal" segregation. The...


When was the US Constitution signed?

On September 17, 1787, the constitution was signed and agreed upon.


Why was the three-fifths compromise added to the US Constitution?

In order to satisfy the southern slave holding states on the issue of determining population for representation in the National...


What is Marbury v. Madison and why is it a landmark case in the history of the US Supreme Court?

Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. (Cranch 1) 137 (1803)Answer The Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Constitution gave the Court the...


What US President later became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?

William Howard Taft is the only person in US History to serve as both President of the United States and Chief Justice of the...


How does the US Supreme Court check the power of Congress and the President?

The Supreme Court uses judicial review to declare actions by the President or Congress to be invalid if they are contrary to the...


If a tax debt is owed to the IRS can filing bankruptcy settle this debt and allow you to start over?

Yes you can start over but this does have an extreme barring on your credit. You can include the years prior to three years from...


How does Congress check the power of the US Supreme Court?

How Congress Checks the Supreme Court Senate approves federal judges, including Supreme Court justices (Advise and Consent...


What process allows the US Supreme Court to judge the constitutionality of a law?

Judicial Review The Supreme Court's ability to analyze laws in terms of their constitutionality is called "judicial review." If...


How are US Supreme Court justices appointed?

The President nominates new members to the Supreme Court, but the Senate must approve the nomination by a majority vote. This is...


What US Supreme Court case established the doctrine of judicial review?

Marbury v. Madison, 5 US (Cranch 1) 137 (1803) The decision in Marbury established the doctrine of "judicial review," which is...


Does the First Amendment mean there is to be a separation of church and state?

The First Amendment states the following: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the...


How do Supreme Court nominees get approved?

The pre-selected list of candidates is usually recommended by people in the President's political party or by members of...


What were the weaknesses of the articles of confederation?

The Articles of Confederation gave too much power to the states and not enough to the central government. The central government...


What is judicial review and how is it used?

Judicial review is the power of the Supreme Court to overturn laws challenged in the judiciary as unconstitutional. It was first...


Who ratified the US Constitution?

Ratification of the Constitution State conventions consisting of popularly elected delegates.The Constitution required 9 states...


Who wrote the First Amendment to the US Constitution?

Author of the First Amendment No single person wrote the amendment. The Bill of Rights was developed by the first congress in...


Who was the first Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court?

John Jay was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court*, appointed on October 19, 1789 by President George Washington. Jay...


Who was the first African-American justice on the US Supreme Court?

In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson nominated Thurgood Marshall to be the first African-American Associate Justice on the Supreme...


How many cases does the US Supreme Court hear each year?

The US Supreme Court received 7,738 petitions for Writ of Certiorari (requests for case review) in the 2008-2009 Term (the most...


What branch of government is the US Supreme Court in?

The US Supreme Court is the head of the Judicial branch of the federal government. The other two branches are the Legislative...


Can a US Supreme Court justice be impeached and removed from office?

Yes. Under normal circumstances, a Supreme Court justice is awarded a lifetime commission. A Supreme Court Justice may be...


What was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's controversial court-packing plan for the US Supreme Court?

In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt drafted a bill for Congress titled the "Judiciary Reorganization Bill of 1937," which...


What are the duties of the US Congress?

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common...


What is the role of the US Supreme Court?

Roles of the Supreme Court The primary role of the US Supreme Court is interpreting the Constitution. The Supreme Court of the...


What was the US Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade?

Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) AnswerRoe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case...


What is the age requirement for US Supreme Court justices?

There is no age restriction for Supreme Court Justices expressly stated in the Constitution, although it stands to cause that...


Why was the decision in Marbury v. Madison constitutionally important?

Importance of Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)Marbury v. Madison illustrates how the power of the Supreme Court, or the...


What is the US Supreme Court's authority to declare a law unconstitutional called?

The implied power of judicial review For more information, see Related Questions, below.


How did Marbury v. Madison establish the precendent of judicial review?

Marbury v. Madison is the Supreme Court case that confirmed that the federal courts have the authority to declare laws...


Where was the US Constitution written?

The Constitution was written in Philadelphia State House (not Delaware) between May and September of 1787. Signing did occur on...


How many women have served on the US Supreme Court?

Four As of August 7, 2010, there have only been four female Supreme Court justices: Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsberg,...


Who wrote the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America?

The preamble was written by Gouverneur Morris.


Who determines the size of the US Supreme Court?

Congress has the authority to decide how many Justices sit on the Supreme Court. The US Constitution does not stipulate the size...


How does someone become a US Supreme Court justice?

The President nominates a candidate for the US Supreme Court; the Senate votes if to confirm or reject the nomination. If...


When do US Supreme Court Terms start and end and how many months do the justices hear arguments?

The Supreme Court Term begins the first Monday in October (October 4, in 2010) and ends the first Monday in October of the...


What are the three most important functions of the US Supreme Court?

Under Original Jurisdiction Settle disputes between the statesUnder Appellate Jurisdiction Interpret the Constitution and...


When was the US Constitution written?

Delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia began writing the US Constitution in May 1787 and created the...


Does a US Supreme Court justice have to be a lawyer?

The technical answer is no, there are no Constitutional or legislative qualifications for US Supreme Court justices. All 111...


Can a presidential election be stalled or waived due to a declaration of war and has it ever happened?

Actually, neither of the answers under are accurate. Article 2, section 1, clause 4 of the Constitution states, "The Congress may...


What is the bill of rights?

The original bill of rights was proposed by James Madison in the first Congress in 1789. It contained twelve proposed amendments,...


Which branch of the US government determines if laws are constitutional?

The Judicial branch. Any court may declare a law relevant to a case before it unconstitutional, but the Supreme Court of the...


Whose rights are guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?

Some rights are guaranteed to all people (free speech, right of peaceable assembly, freedom of religion). Some are only for...


What jurisdiction does the US Supreme Court and federal court system have?

The Supreme Court and the federal courts have jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases involving: cases arising under the...


Why are US Supreme Court justices appointed for life?

Part of the debate over rights in the 18th century involved the prerogative of kings to remove and appoint judges upon their...


Who is the newest justice on the US Supreme Court?

Elena Kagan President Obama nominated US Solicitor General Elena Kagan on May 9, 2010, to succeed Supreme Court Justice John Paul...


What is the 'Supreme Law of the Land' in the United States?

The US Constitution is the highest level of law in the United States. Article VI of the Constitution states the document and the...


What Supreme Court case is relevant to Amendment 23?

AnswerThe only one that I am aware of that was fairly recent was the rejection of the right of Washington D.C. residents to elect...


What are the differences between the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution?

AnswerThe Declaration of Independence states that we are free and independent form the British, our former rulers. Our nation no...


What well-known job did Hamilton Madison and Jay write in support of the US Constitution?

The Federalist Papers. The well-known job that these men wrote was called the federalist papers. These papers were created in...


How is the Constitution designed to limit government power in order to protect individual rights?

Constitution has something called Bill of Rights which are your rights. Also, Supreme Court (Judicial branch) is there to...


Have there ever been any foreign-born Supreme Court justices?

Unlike its requirement that the President be a "natural born" citizen, and the Senators and Representatives be at least...


Who or what is the head of the Judicial Branch of the US government?

The Supreme Court of the United States, as an institution, is head of the Judicial branch of government. The Chief Justice of the...


Who or what were John Adam's Midnight Judges?

The "Midnight Judges" were 42 Federalist justices of the peace President John Adams appointed immediately before his...


What was the decision of the Court in Marbury v. Madison?

Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803) Answer The decision of the Court was unanimous (4-0), although they barely had a quorum to...


How did the arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists reflect their points of view regarding natural rights republicanism and constitutionalism?

The federalist are those who favored a stronger national government due to their fear caused by the weak Articles of...


Who elects the President of the United States?

The Electoral College. Each state gets a number of electors equal to the total number of senators and representatives it has....


What is the US Supreme Court's relationship to lower courts and what cases can it review?

Article III, Section 2, of the US Constitution explicitly spells out the responsibility of the Court: The judicial power shall...


What are the powers of the Judicial Branch?

The Judicial Branch is one of the three parts of the US government. It oversees the federal court system, and has sole authority...


Who has the power to establish federal courts under the US Supreme Court?

Congress (the Legislative Branch) Article I, Section 8 and Article III of the Constitution authorizes Congress to establish...


How does the Judicial Branch check the Legislative and the Executive Branches?

The Judicial Branch uses judicial review to evaluate Acts of Congress and Presidential Executive Orders to determine if they...


Who signed the US Constitution?

The U.S. Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787 by 39 delegates. The delegates to the Constitutional (Federal) Convention...


What is the purpose of the US Constitution?

Read the preamble, that says it better than anything else ever could. The Constitution is the document that created the...


What did John Adams and John Marshall have to do with the 'Midnight Judges' in 1801 and why did Thomas Jefferson oppose them?

All the judges appointed by the lame duck Adams by the Act of 1801 became known as the midnight judges, which included justice...


What kind of jurisdiction does the US Supreme Court exercise?

The US Supreme Court exercises original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction. The Supreme Court is vested with the judicial...


What is the term of office for federal judges?

According to the Constitution, Article III federal judges hold their appointments during "good behavior". That means that as long...


When does the US Supreme Court have original jurisdiction?

According to Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution, the US Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over cases: affecting...


Why did the American colonists break with Great Britain?

ACCORDING TO THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public...


What are the three levels in the US Federal court system?

LEVELS The three levels are: Trial level Appellate level Supreme Court Trial level includes many types of courts, such as the...


What is a Writ of Certiorari?

A writ of certiorari (Latin: "to be informed") is an order from an appellate court to a lower court to send the records for a...


Why should the federal government in the United States have the right to make abortion laws?

While abortion is not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution, the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that some state restrictions...


How did the Federalist Papers 2 and 3 directly affect the drafting of the Constitution?

They did not affect the drafting. The Constitution had already been drafted at the time of the writing of the Federalist Papers.


Which signers of the US Constitution later became President?

Presidents Who Signed the ConstitutionThere are two: Thomas Jefferson James Madison


What were the effects on society after the 19th amendment was ratified?

Now, many women's rights movements were halted, causing much turmoil to die. Also, we had a larger amount and range of voters....


What US Supreme Court decision overturned the 'separate but equal' doctrine in 1954?

Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) The landmark case that desegregated schools was Brown v. Board of Education of...


Can a recall election be used to remove a US President from office?

Once elected and after Congress has certified the Electoral votes, a President of The United States may only be removed from...


How many electoral votes does it take to win the presidential election?

270. In the early days of the United States, this number periodically increase as the number of states and population grew (e.g....


What is the highest court in the United States?

The correct name is the Supreme Court of the United States, but most people refer to it as the US Supreme Court. Each state has...


What were advantages and disadvantages of the Articles of Confederation?

Pros: land ordance(the northwest ordance of 1787- territories of state were reorgainized) Peace with Britain Cabinet departments...


When was the US Supreme Court and federal court system created?

AnswerArticle III, Section 1 of the Constitution mandated creation of a Judicial Branch of government, with the power vested in a...


For how long are US Supreme Court justices appointed?

US Supreme Court justices serve for life, or until they select to resign or retire, or are impeached by the House of...


Which US Supreme Court case established the 'clear and present danger' rule or threat to national security?

The landmark case Schenck v. United States, 249 U.S. 47 (1919) set a standard for determining reasonable restrictions on the...


How many people signed the US Constitution?

Of the fifty five delegates, forty-two attended most of the meetings, and thirty-nine actually signed the Constitution. Edmund...


How do you pass an amendment to the Constitution?

There are two ways to propose an amendment to the constitution. get 2/3 of both houses in congress to agree through a...


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