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Supreme Court of the United States

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the country and the head of the federal judiciary. It has the final say on questions of federal law and the Constitution, and it hears a small share of the cases that ask for its review.

People usually want to know how justices are chosen, how the court selects its cases, how arguments and decisions work, what its rulings mean for lower courts, and how it fits with Congress and the president in the balance of power.

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October 8last updated

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Latest in Supreme Court of the United States

All Articles on Supreme Court of the United States

Why Supreme Court Decisions Sometimes Take Months to Release

Ninety-five days after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a high-stakes challenge to President Trump's executive tariff authority, the justices still have not…

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How the Supreme Court Is Evaluating Trump’s Emergency Tariff Powers

On November 5, 2025, the Supreme Court heard what has been called the biggest legal test yet of the Trump administration's presidency. The justices…

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How the Supreme Court’s Shadow Docket Works

The Supreme Court's shadow docket handles emergency orders. Its rules, legal tests and major cases explain what those decisions change and leave unresolved.

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When States Fight: How the Supreme Court Keeps the Peace

California and Arizona going to war over the Colorado River. New York blockading goods heading to New Jersey. These scenarios sound like alternate history…

28 Min Read

Five Shocking Supreme Court Free Speech Cases That Changed America

The boundaries of free speech aren't obvious. They've been forged through real-world conflicts that forced the Supreme Court to answer difficult questions. What happens…

43 Min Read

Why the Supreme Court Curtailed Nationwide Injunctions in 2025

A single federal judge in Texas issues an order, and suddenly a new White House policy on immigration or environmental protection freezes across the…

74 Min Read