Family Dynamics • Where does the buck stop?
Jan 04, 2016
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