What jurisdiction does the Supreme Court have in most of the cases it hears?

Answer 1

The Supreme Court has jurisdiction based on the fact that it is the highest federal court which has been granted the authority to resolve disputes regarding federal law, the US Constitution, or treatises. Jurisdiction is not automatic but must be granted by the Justices. One asks the Supreme Court to hear a case through the use of a writ of certiorari (cert.). The court does not have jurisdiction over cases involving state law, unless a federal claim is present in the plaintiff's well-pleaded complaint

The Supreme Court also has original jurisdiction over cases involving disputes between 2+ states. This means that the states can take the case directly to the Supreme Court

Answer 2

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land, but the Supreme Court has limited jurisdiction, which means it can only hear certain cases.

It has original jurisidction (first court to hear the case) for cases between states as in (Virginia v. West Virginia). It also suposedly has original jurisdiction when an abassador or public minister is affected, but I can't think of a time thats ever been evoked.

It has appelate jurisdiction, meaning it can hear cases on appeal (or those that they have "granted cert") from Federal Appeals courts or state supreme courts regarding a Federal Constitutional issue, Federal Law, US treaties, or Admiralty. (It cannot hear cases under state law, unless it raises a federal issue...so interpreting a Wisconsin State Statute is left to the Wis Supreme Court, not the US Sup. Ct. However, whether the Wis Statute as intepretted by the Wis Supreme Court is superceeded by a federal law or the US constitution is an issue for the US Supreme COurt.)

Most cases are not direct appeals, but grants of cert, meaning that the court opts to take the case by the vote of 4 members, as opposed to an appeal wich the court must take. Appeals must be from cases with a final judgement, cert can be granted for issues that have not had a final judgenment, relating to an important issue that would preclude the trial or significantly effect the rights of one of the parties.

Answer 3

Well, let's start at the beginning. The Supreme Court of the United States was created in the Constitution with specific powers and specific jurisdiction over Federal matters (which were specifically granted in the Constitution; all other powers were granted to the states).

Unfortunately, either due to creative lawyers and gigantic rich law firms or to power grabs by the Federal government, or whatever, the Supreme Court of the United States can rule on just about any case it elects to rule on. It can hear appeals it wants to hear, or it can elect not to hear cases submitted to it.

Answer 4

The Court generally hears cases under the Judiciary Act of 1925 and subsequent amendments that give it sole discretion over whether to hear a case. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 and its amendments do require that the Court entertain appeals from the three judge district courts, a rare instance of its appellate docket not being solely within its control.

Answer 5

They have the ultimate jurisdiction as the are the supreme law of the land (country.)