Judicial history is an incredibly important aspect of legal analysis -- as courts decide questions of the law, the historical context of the court and the cases they hear essentially decide the direction of the court. In order to effectively understand and apply legal doctrine, one must understand the context from which that doctrine came. This can be seen through the decisions themselves, the lives members of the judiciary lived, and more. The Supreme Court of the United States is the court of last resort in the United States. Many cases that the Court reviews concern the U.S. Constitution, and the Court's decisions have far-reaching implications for the citizenry and the history of the United States. This guide is designed to give some background information and suggest resources for further research on the history of the Court, the Justices of the Court, and the Court's practice and decisions.
In addition to this guide, there are many other freely available research guides on the U.S. Supreme Court:
Updated 5/2013 (ET)
Updated 4/2022 (MMK)
Links 2/23 (MMK)
Updated 9/27/2024 (RM)