Like every branch of the federal government, the Supreme Court has since its creation gone through a series of evolutions. When it was first constituted, the constitution did not fully define how the court would look like. In the course of time, there have been many attempts from different quarters to organize the court and spell out its responsibilities and confines. This has changed the face of the court and the way it has operated over the years. Despite these changes, the people who sit on this court have remained the most respected citizens in America and elsewhere in the world (Mojtabai, 2009).
While establishing the judicial branch of the government, the Constitutional Convention that met in Philadelphia failed to set out the amount of power that the new court would have. Immediately after the formation of the new republic, the court took upon itself the responsibility of judicial review. This was based on the reasoning that the legislature could abuse its powers hence the need to keep it in check. Chief Justice John Marshall established this in 1803 when he observed that it was the duty of the judiciary to translate laws. This power included even rejecting acts of Congress that the judiciary felt that they contravened the constitution. However, this power has been reduced over the years by legislators who felt that the extra powers amounted to meddling into private business (Hoffer, Hoffer, & Hull, 2007).
Apart from the powers accorded to the Supreme Court, the constitution did not specify the number of judges that are supposed to run it. The Congress is tasked with the decision of determining the number of judges who are supposed to run the Supreme Court. Initially, the Supreme Court consisted of only six members. Over the years, this number has been increased probably to deal with the many issues that the court has to handle. However, this has not happened for the past one-century or so. The initial bench of judges consisted only of white men. However, this has been revised to include women and African-American judges (Mojtabai, 2009).
With the lack of a definitive role, the Supreme Court will continue shaping the American political and social landscape in the future. With the Supreme Court still wielding immense power, we are bound to see Congress and the President coming up with progressive legislation that will not stand a chance to be overturned by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is also bound to become instrumental in the amendments carried out in the constitution. In an event where the Supreme Court decides to uphold the decision arrived at by the Congress or the President, we are bound to see a situation where things are maintained as they are. (Hoffer, Hoffer, & Hull, 2007).
The American Supreme Court has gone through a series of evolutions over the years. Most of these evolutions have been on its composition, size and responsibilities. With the constitution failing to provide clear guidelines on its role, the Supreme Court has been left entirely on its own to spell out its roles. This has made the court to act in inconsistent ways over the years. In most cases, the decisions arrived at by the judges are usually based on their conscience. Decisions like giving women the right to procure abortion though not present in the constitution have been termed legal by the Supreme Court. Based on how they act, the judges who sit in the Supreme Court have the potential to transform America or maintain things as they are.
References List
- Hoffer, P, Hoffer, W, & Hull, N. (2007).The supreme court.
- Mojtabai, F. (2009). The Evolution of the Supreme Court in American History.