An Illustrated Guide to the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the highest tribunal in the nation for all cases and controversies arising under the Constitution or the laws of the United States. It is the guardian and interpreter of the Constitution: few other courts in the world have the same authority of constitutional interpretation and none has exercised it for as long or with as much influence. As the final arbiter of the law, the Court is also charged with ensuring the American people the promise of equal justice under law. The justices are asked to decide important questions, often ones that have divided lower courts, so that the Rule of Law can be applied uniformly throughout the nation.

But the Supreme Court can seem intimidating, inscrutable, and elite to many Americans. While the justices endeavor to make their opinions readable to the public, the legal concepts can be difficult to grasp for non-lawyers. Moreover, few understand how the justices go about their work. This book aims to make the Supreme Court accessible. Readers will find lively illustrations that take them behind the scenes and clear text that explains the purpose of the Court and how it functions as an institution. This beautiful book answers some of the important questions posed by visitors to the Supreme Court Building. How are justices appointed? How do the justices choose which cases to hear? What is the role of the chief justice? How do the nine justices decide cases?