Chapter 1. The U.S. Supreme Court—An Overview

The federal judiciary constitutes one of the three co-equal branches of federal government and is independent from the executive and the legislature. The Supreme Court of the United States is at the top of the country's judicial branch. The Court consists of nine members, the Chief Justice of the United States and eight Associate Justices. Justices of the Supreme Court are appointed for life by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate. The Court's view of the law in each case is expressed by the majority opinion. Justices file concurring opinions when they do not agree with all or part of the majority's reasoning but agree with the outcome in a case. The Court's official decisions are published in the United States Reports.Keywords: federal judiciary; U.S. Supreme; U.S. supreme court