Basic Information

The architect Cass Gilbert had grand ambitions for his design of a new home for the Supreme Court--what he called "the greatest tribunal in the world, one of the three great elements of our national government." Gilbert knew that the approach to the Court, as much as the structure itself, would define the experience of the building, but the site presented a challenge. Other exalted Washington edifices--the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial--inspired awe with their processional approaches. But in 1928 Congress had designated for the Court a cramped and asymmetrical plot of land, wedged tightly between the Capitol and the Library of Congress. How could Gilbert convey to visitors the magnitude and importance of the judicial process taking place within the Court's walls?
The answer, he decided, was steps. Gilbert pushed back the wings of the building, so that the public face of the building would be a portico with a massive imposing stairway. Visitors would not have to walk a long distance to enter, but few would forget the experience of mounting those forty-four steps to the double row of eight massive columns supporting the roof. The walk up the stairs would be the central symbolic experience of the Supreme Court, a physical manifestation of the American march to justice. The stairs separated the Court from the everyday world--and especially from the earthly concerns of the politicians in the Capitol-- and announced that the justices would operate, literally, on a higher plane. (Toobin, Jeffrey. The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court. New York: Anchor Books, 2008.)

Friday, April 9, 2010

Our Very Own Florida Supreme Court


More than 80 women and men have served as Justices of Florida highest Court since it was created upon statehood in 1845 and held its first arguments in 1846. The Florida Supreme Court has existed for more than 150 years, spanning two vastly different eras -- the time in 1845 when Florida was the least populous Southern state, and today when Florida's population ranks fourth nationwide. Read about the History of Florida Law and the History of the Florida Supreme Court. The Florida Supreme Court not only is the highest court in Florida, its Chief Justice oversees the entire State Courts System. This includes many management functions centralized in Tallahassee in the Office of the State Courts Administrator, and regulation of The Florida Bar. Every court has a seal to mark its documents as official acts of the Judges or Justices. But the Seal of the Supreme Court of Florida is so old -- dating to some time before 1845 -- that no records remain to explain its exact meaning. Take an on-line historical tour of the lives and times of former Supreme Court Justices. They are a colorful group that included a former nun, a real-life Florida cowboy, and a duellist. The Supreme Court of Florida is housed in one of the most historically significant buildings in the state capital, with architecture inspired by Thomas Jefferson. I have personally visited the supreme court of Florida and I found it very fascinating. I even took my own pictures and I got to sit in the chairs. The picture above was actually taking by me via cell phone.
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