美国最高法院(Supreme Court of the United States)

美国司法体系的上诉终审法院、美国宪法的最终解释者。根据1787年宪法而创立，有权审理涉及美国联邦宪法、法律或美国参加的条约的案件，以美国为一方的争议案件、州与州之间或各州公民之间的争议案件、海事管辖案件，以及侵犯大使、其他公使和领事的案件。其规模由国会设立，一直处於变化之中，直到1869年才确定为九名法官。最高法院大法官的任命由总统徵求议会的意见并在议会同意下而决定。最高法院从一开始就行使司法审查。相对说来，最高法院受理的一审案件是很少的。进入最高法院的程序一般是通过上诉或调审令。最高法院的最重要的条款来源为宪法的贸易条款以及正当程序和同等保护权条款，经常也处理涉及到公民自由的纠纷，包括言论自由和隐私权。最高法院的大部分工作都是阐明、精练和验证宪法的哲学思想，并将其转化为运作原则。

English version：

Supreme Court of the United States

Final court of appeal in the U.S. judicial system and final interpreter of the U.S. Constitution. The Court was instituted by the Constitution in 1787 and granted authority to act in cases arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the U.S.; in controversies to which the U.S. is a party; in controversies between states or between citizens of different states; in cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; and in cases affecting ambassadors or other ministers or consuls. Its size, which is set by Congress, varied somewhat before stabilizing at nine in 1869. Appointments to the Court are made by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Court has from an early date exercised the power of judicial review. Relatively few cases are brought in its original jurisdiction. The usual route to the Court is by appeal or certiorari. Among the most important doctrinal sources used by the Court have been the commerce, due-process, and equal-protection clauses of the Constitution. It also has often ruled on controversies involving civil liberties, including freedom of speech and rights of privacy. Much of its work consists of clarifying, refining, and testing the Constitution's philosophic ideals and translating them into working principles.