The document describes the establishment, development, procedures, and some landmark cases of the U.S. Supreme Court. The objective is to explore the history of the court and to explain its role in the American system of government. The booklet is presented in four chapters. The first chapter, entitled "A Heritage of Law," offers judicial background from the 1606 Virginia Charter to the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The second chapter, which forms the major part of the document, is entitled "Decisions for Liberty." It traces the court's growth of scope through precedent-setting decisions such as Chisholm v. Georgia in 1793, Marbury v. Madison in 1803, McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819, Gibbons v. Ogden in 1824, Dred Scott v. Sandford in 1857, Munn v. Illinois in 1877, Northern Securities v. United States in 1904, Adkins v. Children's Hospital in 1923, Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, Gideon v. Wainwright in 1963, and Roe v. Wade in 1973. Chief Justices and events are described historically in connection with the cases, from John Jay to Warren Burger, as the court's power as interpreter of the Constitution grew. The third chapter discusses court procedures, staff duties, the building, and the duties of the justices. Chapter IV offers a brief description of the powers and limitations of the federal court system, including contemporary reforms and technical innovations. An index concludes the booklet. (CK)