1. The Judicial Branch

2. Background
Article III, Section 1: "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." 
Created by the Judiciary Act of 1789
Met for the first time on February 2, 1790.

3. Justices
1 Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices, each with equal voting power
Began with 6 justices, then 7 in 1801 and finally to 9 in 1869
Each justice is nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and serves for life. 
Senate confirmation process begins with hearings before the Judiciary Committee and ends with a vote of the full Senate

4. Current Justices Chief Justice
John Roberts (Appointed by George W. Bush)

5. Current Justices Conservative Justices
Clarence Thomas (Appointed by George H.W. Bush)
Samuel Alito (Appointed by George W. Bush)
John Roberts (Appointed by George W. Bush)
Neil Gorsuch (Appointed by Donald Trump)

6. Current Justices
Swing Vote
Anthony Kennedy (Appointed by Reagan)

7. Current Justices Liberal Justices Steven Breyer (Appointed by Clinton)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Appointed by Clinton)
Sonya Sotomayor (Appointed by Obama)
Elena Keagan (Appointed by Obama)

8. Term Term of the Court begins, by law, on the first Monday in October
Typically decisions are announced in all the argued cases by the end of June
Around 7,000 to 8,000 petitions are filed with the Court over the course of a single Term
The court hears about 100 for full briefing and oral argument. 

9. Originalist vs. Non-Originalist
Originalist (Strict Constructionalist)
Follows the exact wording of the Constitution
Non-Originalist (Judicial Activist)
interprets the meaning of the Constitution

10. Questions
Which do you think is the best way to view the Constitution? Originalist or Non-Originalist. Why? Does the political party of a Supreme Court justice matter? Explain your answer