The Nine
The justices
Lifetime
Appointments
President picks
Senate confirms
Chief Justice
Leads the Court
Recusal
Self-policed
The current Court
The Big Picture
Final say on the Constitution
Their interpretation is the law of the land.
Strikes down bad laws
The power of judicial review — the ultimate check on government.
Sets precedent
Every ruling creates precedent every other court must follow.
It shapes everything
Healthcare
Who gets coverage
Free speech
What you can say
Privacy
When police need a warrant
Voting
How elections are run
Environment
What the EPA can regulate
Work
Discrimination protections
The Path to the Court
Lower courts
A case works its way through trial and appeals courts.
Types of cases
Merits
Full hearing
Emergency
Urgent action
Original
Starts here
Misc.
Without fees
The Calendar
The October Term runs from the first Monday in October through late June.
Oct
Start
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Last
May
Jun
Rush
Jul
Aug
Sep
Prep
2 on, 2 off
Arguments alternate with writing recesses
June rush
Biggest decisions drop in the final weeks
Monday orders
Cases accepted or rejected on Mondays
Behind Closed Doors
After oral arguments, the justices deliberate in total secrecy.
Private conference
Nine justices, no staff. They discuss and take a preliminary vote.
Opinion assigned
The Chief Justice (or senior majority justice) picks who writes the ruling.
Drafts circulate
Opinions go back and forth. Votes can shift. Concurrences and dissents take shape.
Decision announced
The ruling is read from the bench. Dissenters may read theirs aloud.
5 of 9
Majority wins
~3 mo
Argument to decision
Secret
Until decision day
The Written Word
Majority
The binding ruling. This is the law.
A typical decided case
Majority
This is law
Concurrence
Side opinion
Dissent
Disagrees
The Other Docket
Emergency orders that bypass the normal process.
Normal process
Shadow docket
Stays
Pause a ruling
Emergency
Can't wait
Cert denials
One-line rejection
Ready to explore?
Now that you understand how the Supreme Court works, explore the real data — justices, cases, opinions, and the Court’s calendar.
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Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LLC. All rights reserved.
This is not an official Supreme Court website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LLC. All rights reserved.
Understanding the Court
The final word on what the Constitution means — explained in plain English. No law degree required.
Quick Facts
9
Justices
Lifetime
Appointments
~70
Cases per year
1789
Established
Led by John G. Roberts, Jr.
The Nine
Lifetime
Appointments
President picks
Senate confirms
Chief Justice
Leads the Court
Recusal
Self-policed
The current Court
In the Courtroom
Each side gets 30 minutes. Justices interrupt constantly.
30 min
Per side
Same day
Audio released
No cameras
Audio only
Nonstop
Justice questions
Roberts
Chief Justice
Tap a justice to explore their profile and stats
Retirement
Often timed strategically
Death in office
Shifts balance overnight
Impeachment
Never happened successfully
Supreme Court specialists
Lawyers who know each justice's style.
Solicitor General
The government's top lawyer — the "tenth justice."
Questions predict outcomes
What justices ask reveals how they'll vote.
October Term 2025 by the numbers
0
Questions asked
by all justices
Roberts
Most questions
778 questions
6h 25m
Most speaking time
Jackson
