The lectern from which attorneys address the bench.
The Courtroom clock, hangs behind the bench suspended
between two of the 24 Italian marble columns that surround the room.
View one of the four marble panels Adolph A. Weinman sculpted for the Supreme Court Chamber.
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On the Bench, seniority determines the seating. The Chief Justice sits
in the center of the Supreme Court bench, while the Senior Associate sits to his right. The
next senior Associate
Justice sits to the Chief Justice's left, the next to his right, and so forth, alternating
right to left by degree
of seniority. The most junior justice, therefore, sits in the seat farthest to the left of
the Chief Justice.
Attorneys arguing their cases occupy the tables in front of the bench. When it is their turn to argue, they
address the bench from the lectern in the center. Representatives of the press are seated in the red
benches along the left side of the Courtroom. The red benches on the right are reserved for guests of the
justices. The black chairs in front of the benches are for the officers of the Court and visiting dignitaries.
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The number of justices on the Supreme Court
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changed six times before settling on the present number
of nine in 1869. Since the Court's formation in 1790, there have been 16 Chief Justices and 97
Associate Justices. Since five Chief Justices have been Associate Justices, only 108 people
have held the position of Supreme Court Justice.
To ensure independent opinions and protect judges from partisan pressure, a justice's term is -- in the Constitution's words -- as long as he or she maintains "good behavior," which has generally meant life terms. The Constitution also provides
that judges' salaries cannot be diminished while they are in office.
When a position on the Supreme Court is vacated, new members are appointed by the
President and must then be approved by the Senate. Presidents who have the opportunity
to appoint numerous justices can affect the ideology of the Court for years to come.
George Washington appointed 11 justices, including the original six. Franklin D.
Roosevelt appointed nine justices during his presidential terms.
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