- ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
- How did the Marshall Court influence the role of the Supreme Court and its ability to check the other branches of government?
- What was the philosophical purpose for appointing Supreme Court Justices to life terms; is it appropriate in the modern era?
- Does the political affiliation of Supreme Court Justices influence their decision making? What are examples of judicial activism and restraint?
- Compare and contrast the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts, and describe the appeal process.
- What are the origins of judicial review, and what consequences follow the acceptance that judges are the official interpreters of the Constitution?
- What factors are important in the selection of Supreme Court justices by presidents? How have the politics of judicial nominations become more complex in recent years?
- What is the difference between criminal and civil law? Federal and state courts?
- What is the process by which the Supreme Court decides a case?
- What is the difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint?
The Old Supreme Court Chamber is the first room constructed for the use of the nation's highest judiciary body and was used by the Court from 1810 until 1860. Built by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, it was a significant architectural achievement, for the size and structure of its vaulted, semicircular ceiling were virtually unprecedented in the United States.
