什麼是美國最高法院

美國司法體系的上訴終審法院、美國憲法的最終解釋者。根據1787年憲法而創立，有權審理涉及美國聯邦憲法、法律或美國參加的條約的案件，以美國為一方的爭議案件、州與州之間或各州公民之間的爭議案件、海事管轄案件，以及侵犯大使、其他公使和領事的案件。其規模由國會設立，一直處於變化之中，直到1869年才確定為九名法官。最高法院大法官的任命由總統徵求議會的意見並在議會同意下而決定。最高法院從一開始就行使司法審查。相對説來，最高法院受理的一審案件是很少的。進入最高法院的程序一般是通過上訴或調審令。最高法院的最重要的條款來源為憲法的貿易條款以及正當程序和同等保護權條款，經常也處理涉及到公民自由的糾紛，包括言論自由和隱私權。最高法院的大部分工作都是闡明、精練和驗證憲法的哲學思想，並將其轉化為運作原則。

Supreme Court of the United States

Final court of appeal in the U.S. judicial system and final interpreter of the U.S. Constitution. The Court was instituted by the Constitution in 1787 and granted authority to act in cases arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the U.S.; in controversies to which the U.S. is a party; in controversies between states or between citizens of different states; in cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; and in cases affecting ambassadors or other ministers or consuls. Its size, which is set by Congress, varied somewhat before stabilizing at nine in 1869. Appointments to the Court are made by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Court has from an early date exercised the power of judicial review. Relatively few cases are brought in its original jurisdiction. The usual route to the Court is by appeal or certiorari. Among the most important doctrinal sources used by the Court have been the commerce, due-process, and equal-protection clauses of the Constitution. It also has often ruled on controversies involving civil liberties, including freedom of speech and rights of privacy. Much of its work consists of clarifying, refining, and testing the Constitution's philosophic ideals and translating them into working principles.