There have been thousands of attorneys admitted to the Supreme Court bar, yet only around 5,000 have ever made an appearance before the Justices. Lawyers must pay $200, pass a background check and meet other requirements in order to be accepted into membership.
Each Justice employs multiple law clerks to assist with reviewing petitions for certiorari, researching cases and writing bench memos; these cases will then be discussed and decided at a conference session.
Court size
The Supreme Court of the United States comprises nine justices, with one Chief Justice and eight associate justices. As the final arbiter of US law and original jurisdiction in limited cases involving ambassadors, this body acts as the ultimate arbiter. Justices are seated according to seniority; with John Roberts sitting center bench while Sonia Sotomayor and Clarence Thomas sitting left and right on either side. Current justices include Samuel Alito and Elena Kagan as members.
However, justices do not enjoy complete independence from political influences; Congress has often altered the size of the Court in order to meet their political goals. One such instance occurred in 1789 when Congress passed the Judiciary Act which limited Justices travel by setting their number equal to that of federal circuit courts created within it; this policy sought to limit geographical area coverage by Justices.
Justices
The Supreme Court hears cases involving appeals or challenges to lower-level decisions, though only 80 of the 7,000 cases it receives each term are decided. Most involve interpretations of constitutional or federal law interpretation. Lawyers from each side present their arguments to Justices during oral arguments held Monday-Thursdays every two weeks throughout most of the year.
Each Justice hires multiple law clerks to assist them with reviewing petitions for certiorari, researching cases, and writing opinions. Most law school graduates serve on the bench since Oliver Wendell Holmes joined in 1902. Since that time, there has always been at least one Harvard grad on its bench; currently it contains four Yale graduates who serve on the front row: Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas and John Roberts — plus Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh and Ketanji Brown Jackson as associate Justices.
The Supreme Court Historical Society Quarterly provides readers with lists that display how Justices approached their jobs during oral arguments or when issuing opinions. These lists give readers an understanding of how these Justices approached their work.
Clerks
Supreme Court clerkships are prized credentials in an industry obsessed with status markers, yet a new study suggests it’s predominantly Ivy League exclusive. According to Political Research Quarterly’s findings, justices favor clerks from elite law schools – especially ones which have produced former clerks themselves – when selecting their clerks as clerks themselves; when returning as appellate litigators years later as judges have favor of these candidates 16 percent more often win them over as judges themselves.
Jennifer B. Sokoler ’10 worked with Sonia Sotomayor, Mark Musico ’11 served with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and James W. Crooks ’13 was law clerk to Anthony M. Kennedy. All graduated at the top of their classes; sokoler, Musico and Crooks served on law reviews while holding other honors such as Pauline Heller Prize and David Berger Memorial Scholarship in international law respectively. Additionally, all were graduates from Harvard Law School; with Sokoler being notes editors while Sokoler/Musico winning John Ordronaux Prize awards respectively.
Cases heard
Most cases brought before the Supreme Court involve interpretations of either federal law or constitutional interpretations. Anyone seeking to argue before it must first submit a brief describing their side of the argument to Justices who will then review all briefs submitted and decide which cases they will hear using an agreement between four Justices in order to hear a case.
Many lawyers specialize in Supreme Court cases, providing their firms with prestige and paying clients. Others work for free advocating on behalf of people unable to afford legal advice at clinics operated by universities or law schools.
These clinics have greatly increased the ranks of experienced Supreme Court advocates. But some legal experts remain wary, fearing that some may be more focused on themselves than their clients’ interests; others also fear they are jeopardizing law schools’ reputations by operating clinics.
