U.S. Federal Courts

As the "final arbiter of the law," the Supreme Court of the United States is "charged with ensuring the American people the promise of equal justice under law and, thereby, also functions as guardian and interpreter of the Constitution."¹ This page outlines the current members of the Supreme Court, their cases, and how to visit the Court.

U.S. Supreme Court Building in 1947 (Image source: NAID: 135802335)

¹Supreme Court of the United States

The Supreme Court as composed on June 30, 2022. (Image source: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States)

• The term of the Court begins on the first Monday in October and lasts until the first Monday in October of the next year.
• Argument calendars for the Supreme Court are available on the Court's website. 
• The online docket database contains information on the status of cases, both pending and decided, that have been filed at the Court since the beginning of the 2001 term.

All oral arguments are open to the public. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-seated basis. Before a session begins, two lines form on the plaza in front of the building. One line is for those attending an entire argument; the other, a 3-minute line, is for those observing the Court in session for a brief period of time. More information is available on the Supreme Court website.