How does one get on the Supreme Court?

"prop4u" is almost right. You are nominated by the president and then a majority of Senate members present vote on you. Often, Supreme Court nominees are grilled before the Senate Judiciary Committee prior to the vote.

The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and such number of Associate Justices as may be fixed by Congress. The number of Associate Justices is currently fixed at eight (28 U. S. C. §1). Power to nominate the Justices is vested in the President of the United States, and appointments are made with the advice and consent of the Senate. Article III, §1, of the Constitution further provides that “[t]he Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.”

First, you have to be appointed as a Judge by a Governor or a US President. Then, a Supreme Court Justice has to either retire or die. You need to have gained enough experience to be recommended to the President of the USA by the American Bar Association. Then, the President must choose you out of the many people who have been recommended to him. Then, you have to have your life story ripped out into the open for the international media by the US Senate. If the Senate approves you, you're in until YOU either retire or die.

Anna del C.

Author of "The Elf and the Princess"

and "Trouble in the Elf City"

The person is nominated by the president and then confirmed by the senate.

They usually have been federal judges before getting the post, a few years ago Bush nominated his cleaning lady to be chief justice and she got shot down by the senate because she was not qualified.

She was his cleaning lady in the sense that she was the lawyer who tried to fix all of Bush's messes.

The textbook answer would be that a person, typically a lawyer or judge, is nominated by the President and then are confirmed Senate by (given a hearing where they ask the nominee questions and then vote on whether he should be sworn in or not).

The real answer is you need political connections so that politicians know who you are so that its easier to get nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

President picks you, than the senate approves you. I know for sure Bush has put at least one person in the Supreme Court. (Some reason I think it was two though.)

you are nominated by the President of the United States, then submit to Congress for approval vote...

nominated by president and confirmed or declined by the senate.