Members of the Supreme Court of the United States

Table of Content for the Supreme Court of the United States

Supreme Court of the United

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest federal court in the United States. It was established by Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution. By this article the Justices are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate judiciary committee.

1. Members of the Supreme Court of the United States
2. Members of Supreme Court USA [History]
3. Current members of the US Supreme Court
4. What are the requirements to become a supreme court members ?

A. Nomination by the President
B. Legal Expertise
C. Professional Accomplishments
D. Judicial Temperament
E. Ethical Standards
F. Political Considerations
G. Senate Confirmation
H. Life Tenure

Members of the Supreme Court of the United States

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest federal court in the United States. It was established by Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution. By this article the Justices are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate judiciary committee.

The court currently consists of nine justices including one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.
Justices serve on the Court until death meaning they serve on the court until they die, retire, resign or impeachment. The Supreme Court justices are entrusted with maintaining the principles of justice, fairness, and law and order

Members of Supreme Court USA [History]

The Supreme Court of united states, the country’s highest judicial tribunal was established by Article III, Section 1 on March 4, 1789 and its first assembly was in 1790 composed of a chief justice and five associate justices.
To serve on the court these justices were nominated by President George Washington. They were

1. John Jay (chief justice)
2. John Rutledge (associate justices)
3. William Cushing (associate justices)
4. Robert H. Harrison (associate justices)
5. James Wilson (associate justices)
6. John Blair Jr.(associate justices)

They were confirmed by the Senate on September 26, 1789. But Robert H. Harrison declined to serve, later James Iredell were nominated in his place. With these 6 members the supreme court held its first session from February 2 through February 10, 1790 in New York city. The second session was held in August 1790. When the capital was moved to Philadelphia in 1790, the court also moved with it and established at city hall .The supreme courts first case decision was West v. Barnes (1791).

The second Chief Justice of the United States was John Rutledge( August 1795 to December 1795 ). After a brief tenure John Rutledge resigned from the position. During that time the associate justices who were serving alongside him was James Wilson, William Cushing, John Blair Jr. , and James Iredell.

The third Chief Justice of the United States was Oliver Ellsworth( March 8, 1796, to December 15, 1800 ) and the associate justices who served alongside him was, William Cushing, James Wilson, James Iredell, Thomas Johnson, and William Paterson.
The fourth Chief Justice of the United States was John Marshall( February 4, 1801, until his death on July 6, 1835 ) also considered as one of the most influential Chief Justices in the history of the Supreme Court of USA. Under John Marshallthe court established the power of judicial review over acts of Congress. During John Marshall’s time, the associate justices who were serving along side with him varied over the years due to appointments and resignations. Some notable associate justices were

1. William Cushing
2. William Paterson
3. Samuel Chase
4. Bushrod Washington
5. Henry Brockholst Livingston
6. Thomas Todd
7. Gabriel Duvall
8. Joseph Story
9. Smith Thompson
10. Robert Trimble
11. John McLean
12. Henry Baldwin

Current members of the US Supreme Court

The Current composition or the current Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. Who are

1. Clarence Thomas(Chief Justice)
2. Samuel A. Alito, Jr.
3. Sonia Sotomayor
4. Elena Kagan
5. Neil M. Gorsuch
6. Brett M. Kavanaugh
7. Amy Coney Barrett
8. Ketanji Brown Jackson

What are the requirements to become a supreme court members

According to the Constitution, for a person to become a Supreme Court justice does not need any explicit requirements. In fact if the person does not need to have a law degree. As we know that these justices were nominated by President but the nomination is referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for review. So justices, experience and background is an important fact in the confirmations if they are capable for the position or not.
George Washington’s requirements for the justices of the Supreme Court were depended on considerations of lawful expertise, honesty, and loyalty. Washington prioritized individuals who were committed to uphold the rule of law and the principles of the U.S. Constitution.

The requirements that needed to become a member of the Supreme court are

4. A. Nomination by the President: Nomination by the president is the first step to become a member of the supreme court. According to the constitution the president nominates a potential individual to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court.
   
5. B. Legal Expertise: Most nominees have a legal background, including prior service as a lower federal court judge, jurist, or distinguished attorney. Strong educational background and experiences an important fact.
   
6. C. Professional Accomplishments: Accomplishments in the legal field, such as significant judicial opinions or notable legal advocacy are also important facts. Nominees often have a track record of professional accomplishments in the legal field.
   
7. D. Judicial Temperament: Judges must have judicial impartiality and the ability to interpret the law fairly and objectively
   
8. E. Ethical Standards: Nominees must demonstrate moral integrity and a spirit of upholding the principles of justice and the rule of law.
   
9. F. Political Considerations: Though, the Constitution doesn’t unequivocally expect judges to be politically neutral. But nominees political affiliations and ideologies frequently play a significant part in the affirmation cycle.
   
10. G. Senate Confirmation: Nominees are elected by a simple majority vote of the Senate. Confirmation hearings typically involve nominee’s qualifications, legal philosophy and past experience.
    
11. H. Life Tenure: Once appointed, the justices serve on the Court for life or until they retire, resign, or are impeached and removed from office.

Though, these are the general requirements for the Supreme Court nominees, ultimately, the selection and confirmation process can vary depending on the political climate, the preferences of the President and the Senate.