How many justices are on the U.S. Supreme Court?

How many justices are on the U.S. Supreme Court?

• A. Five
• B. Seven
• C. Nine
• D. Eleven

Answer: (C)

The size of the U.S. Supreme Court is nine. This arrangement—one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices—has been in place since 1869, when Congress set the number at nine. The Constitution doesn’t fix a specific count, but Congress can change it by statute. So today’s Court operates with nine seats, and that’s why nine is the standard answer. Earlier in U.S. history the number varied depending on laws at the time, but the current practice is nine.

The size of the U.S. Supreme Court is nine. This arrangement—one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices—has been in place since 1869, when Congress set the number at nine. The Constitution doesn’t fix a specific count, but Congress can change it by statute. So today’s Court operates with nine seats, and that’s why nine is the standard answer. Earlier in U.S. history the number varied depending on laws at the time, but the current practice is nine.