Family Dynamics

• Where does the buck stop?

The Court Characteristics

• Composition– 9 Justices

• Appointment– Appointed by the

President– Confirmed by the

Senate

• Term of Office– Lifetime Appointment

• Pay– May not be diminished– Chief Justice $202,900– Associates $194,200

• Retirement– Full salary @ 70 with

10 years service– Full salary @ 65 with

15 years service

Critical Thinking

• Why are Supreme Court justices given lifetime appointments?

Supreme Facts

Of 111 justices since 1789:• * 53 was the average age

at appointment• * 36 served in the military• * 11 had no children• * 6 never married• * 4 were divorced• * 3 did not have a private

law practice• * 39 were not judges

before appointment

• * 39 were Episcopalian• *18 attended and 14 graduated

from Harvard Law School• * 26 were from judicial families• * 41 had fathers who held

public office• * 39 grew up in urban or small-

city settings• * 40 grew up on family farms,

family plantations, or rural settings

• * 31 grew up in small towns

Justice Elana Kagan

• Born: Apr. 28, 1960• Appointed by

B. Obama• Member since 2010• Politics: Liberal

Chief Justice John Roberts• Born: Jan. 27, 1955• Appointed by

G.W. Bush• Member since 2005• Politics: Conservative

Sotomayor

• Born June 25, 1954

• Appointed by Obama

• Member since

2009

• Politics Liberal

Justice Samuel Alito

• Born: Apr. 1, 1950• Appointed by

G.W. Bush• Member since 2006• Politics: Conservative

Justice Clarence Thomas

• Born: Jun. 23, 1948• Appointed by

G.H.W. Bush• Member since 1991• Politics: Conservative

Justice Stephen Breyer

• Born: Aug. 15, 1938• Appointed by

B. Clinton• Member since 1994• Politics: Liberal

Justice Anthony Kennedy

• Born: Jul. 23, 1936• Appointed by

R. Reagan• Member since 1988• Politics: Moderate

Justice Antonin Scalia

• Born: Mar. 11, 1936• Appointed by

R. Reagan• Member since 1986• Politics: Conservative

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

• Born: Mar. 15, 1933• Appointed by

B. Clinton• Member since 1993• Politics: Liberal

Justice Appt. By Party Bush or Gore

Rehnquist Nixon Rep. Bush

Stevens Ford Rep. Gore

O’Connor Reagan Rep. Bush

Scalia Reagan Rep. Bush

Kennedy Reagan Rep. Bush

Thomas Bush 41 Rep. Bush

Souter Bush 41 Rep. Gore

Ginsburg Clinton Dem. Gore

Breyer Clinton Dem. Gore

Analyzing Political Cartoons

Analyzing Political Cartoons

Analyzing Political Cartoons