Legal Research Guide: United States Federal Law

The Court is the highest tribunal in the Nation for all cases and controversies arising under the Constitution or the laws of the United States. As the final arbiter of the law, the Court 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.

The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and such number of Associate Justices as may be fixed by Congress. The number of Associate Justices is currently fixed at eight (28 U. S. C. §1). Power to nominate the Justices is vested in the President of the United States, and appointments are made with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island

CT, NY, VT

Pennsylvania, DE, NJ, US Virgin Islands

Washington DC, MD, NC, SC, VA, W. V

Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas

Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee

llinois, Indiana, Wisconsin

Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota

Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington

Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

Alabama, Florida, Georgia