hold the defendant, ruling on pretrial motions, accepting pleas, presiding over trials, determining punishment, conducting hearings, working in their chambers, and many other tasks (Neubauer, 2002). Neubauer (2002) argues the heavy case loads placed on judges often makes their job extremely stressful and unfulfilling. Judges must be able to evolve as the times change: new legislation and laws are always being passed (Inciardi, 2002).
Article III, Section One of the Constitution states "the judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish" (Dubois, 1995, p. 56). Under this section the Judiciary Act of 1789 was based. This Judiciary Act brought about the Supreme Court, other federal courts, and state courts (Dubois, 1995).
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and the court of last resort (Dubois, 1995). The judges that serve on the Supreme Court are known as Justices (Satter, 1990). There are eight associate Justices and one Chief Justice (Dubois, 1995). Justices are appointed for life by the President and confirmed by the senate (Dubois, 1995). Justices may retire at 70 after 10 years of service, or 65 after 15 years of service (Dubois, 1995). Phillip Dubois (1995) points out that the Supreme Court receives 7,000 petitions to hear cases, but only a small percentage of cases are actually brought before the Justices (Du
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