The United States Supreme Court: The Ultimate Check and Balance

The Supreme Court, the highest court of the land and also the ultimate check and balance to the power of the President of the United States and Congress, is one of the most important assets to the United States of America. Once you are appointed as a justice, you are justice for the rest of your life. While a Justice can step down due to illness/death or retirement, the only other way is through impeachment. Once there is a vacancy in the supreme court, the president has the opportunity to appoint a new one. While there isn't a set of qualifications, in order to become a Supreme Court Justice one must go through a rigorous questionnaire, sit before a senate judiciary committee, etc.

The Supreme Court Justices receive more than 100 new cases every single week. This means they see up to about 7,000 new cases a year. Most of the cases brought to them is to persuade the court to change the verdict of a lower courts ruling. Out of the 7,000 cases, the Supreme Court gets a year, only 100 are actually taken to consideration. If you have the opportunity to bring a case to the Supreme Court, there are many rules and steps you have to hop over in order to actually have a case read by the Supreme Court Justices. For example, there is a rule called The Rule of Four which means that 4 out of 9 justices have to agree to hear a case. After the case has gone through explaining their case to the justices and its time for the official decision, 5 out of 9 justices have to agree on at least one of the legal arguments presented in order to overturn or affirm the lower courts decision. Once the decision is made, it is always written in writing.

The Supreme Court Justices are meant to defend the United States Constitution. The power they hold is just as important, if not, more important than the President of the United States. If it weren't for them taking a stance between Congress and the President, the country would be in shambles.