ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Supreme court

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. Imagine you are playing a game with your friends and you can't agree on a rule. You might ask your parents to help you decide. They are like a referee.

The Supreme Court works the same way. When there is an argument or disagreement between people or even the government, they can ask the Supreme Court to step in and make a decision. The Supreme Court has the final say on what the law should be.

There are 9 judges on the Supreme Court, who are called Justices. They were chosen by the President and approved by the Senate. These Justices have a very important job. They read the law and then they decide how the law should be applied in real life. They have to be very smart and think very carefully about each case.

Whenever there is a big issue in the country, the Supreme Court might be asked to make a decision. For example, should everyone be allowed to get married no matter their gender? Or, should schools be allowed to teach religion in class? These are just some of the big questions that the Supreme Court has been asked to answer over time.

When the Supreme Court makes a decision in a case, it becomes the law of the land. This means that everyone in the country has to follow it. So, the Supreme Court is a very important part of the United States government, helping to make sure that everyone follows the same rules and laws.