Definition

Proper noun: - The highest federal court in the United States: The Supreme Court of the United States is the court of last resort in the U.S. federal judiciary. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all federal and state court cases involving issues of federal law, and it possesses the power of judicial review to determine the constitutionality of laws and executive actions.

Usage

• The term is used to refer specifically to the institution as a whole, its decisions, or its members.
• It is often abbreviated as or referred to simply as when the context is clear.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "To be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States": Describes a case that the Court has agreed to review.
  • The petition for a writ of certiorari was granted, so the matter will be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States.
• "An opinion of the Supreme Court of the United States": Refers to the written explanation for the Court's decision in a case.
  • The dissenting opinion of the Supreme Court of the United States was powerfully argued.

Variants and Related Words

• SCOTUS (acronym): A common abbreviation for the Supreme Court of the United States.
  • Legal analysts are eagerly awaiting the SCOTUS calendar for the upcoming term.
• The Supreme Court: The shortened, most common form of reference when the context is unambiguous.
  • The Supreme Court's decision was a 5-4 split.
• The Court (capitalized): A formal shorthand reference within legal and journalistic contexts.
  • The Court held that the statute was unconstitutional.

Synonyms

• The highest court in the land: A descriptive synonym emphasizing its ultimate authority.
• The federal supreme court: A more general term specifying its federal jurisdiction.

Related Phrases

• To appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States: The act of seeking review from the Court.
  • After losing in the circuit court, they decided to appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States.
• A Supreme Court of the United States Justice: A member of the Court.
  • He served as a Supreme Court of the United States Justice for over three decades.

Noun

1. the highest federal court in the United States; has final appellate jurisdiction and has jurisdiction over all other courts in the nation