A Look Inside America’s Highest Court

by John Agbo, age 15

The Supreme Court of the United States is the most powerful court in America. The Supreme Court is one of the three main courts: the United States District Courts, the United States Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. It stands as the last resort as it has the final say in cases.

A federal judge is usually nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Their cases range from federal statutes, disputes between states or citizens of different states, constitutional matters, foreign entities, and cases involving the federal government. The judiciary receives IT, financial, legal, and administrative support from the Administrative Office of the U.S. courts (AO). The AO supports over 32,000 judiciary employees throughout over 800 locations. The judiciary office offers assistance with forms, educational material, case information through public access to the courts' electronic records, and judicial vacancy listings.

The United States courts function independently from the legislative and executive branches, upholding the principle of separation of powers.

[Source: United States Courts]