Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

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Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Seal of the Supreme Court of the United States
Term length	Life tenure

An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is a member of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body in the United States, and its decisions have far-reaching implications for the country. The Court consists of nine justices, including one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.

Appointment and Tenure

Associate Justices are nominated by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by the United States Senate. Once confirmed, they hold their office under life tenure, meaning they serve until they resign, retire, pass away, or are impeached and removed from office. This lifetime appointment is intended to ensure judicial independence.

Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibility of an Associate Justice is to hear and decide cases brought before the Supreme Court. This includes interpreting the United States Constitution, federal laws, and treaties. Justices also have the power to review and overturn decisions made by lower courts. Each Justice is assigned to one or more of the federal judicial circuits and may be called upon to handle emergency applications and other matters from those circuits.

Seniority and Seating

The seniority of Associate Justices is determined by the order of their appointment. The most senior Associate Justice sits to the immediate right of the Chief Justice, with the other Justices seated in order of their seniority. Seniority also affects the assignment of opinion writing; the most senior Justice in the majority assigns the writing of the Court's opinion if the Chief Justice is not in the majority.

Historical Context

The role of Associate Justices has evolved since the establishment of the Supreme Court in 1789. The Judiciary Act of 1789 initially set the number of Justices at six, but this number has changed over time, reaching the current total of nine in 1869. Notable Associate Justices have included Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Justice, and Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female Justice.

Related Pages

• Supreme Court of the United States
• Chief Justice of the United States
• United States Constitution
• Judiciary Act of 1789
• Thurgood Marshall
• Sandra Day O'Connor
• United States Senate
• President of the United States

See Also

• List of Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States
• Judicial independence
• Federal judiciary of the United States
• Life tenure