The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is an important part of American government; however, it did not receive its own building until 1935. The Court was originally located in New York City. It moved to Philadelphia for a time, before permanently moving to Washington, D.C. along with the rest of the federal government. The legislative branch had the Capitol building and the executive branch had the White House, but the judicial branch was left without a building of its own. Instead, the Supreme Court took up residence in the U.S. Capitol building.

The Court moved from chamber to chamber within the Capitol building over the years and even vacated the building for a period of time, after the British set fire to it during the War of 1812. The 10th Chief Justice of the United States, William Howard Taft, convinced Congress in 1929 to construct the Supreme Court a building of its own. Construction began in 1932 and was completed in 1935. At last, the judicial branch of American government had a permanent place to reside.

This Supreme Court building is located on 1 First Street, NE in Washington, D.C. The western façade of the building, or the front, displays the motto “Equal Justice Under Law.” The motto “Justice, the Guardian of Liberty” is displayed on the eastern façade. In 1987, it was officially designated as a National Historic Landmark.