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

The United States Supreme Court consists of nine justices. This number has been established since 1869 and has remained unchanged since then. The justices are appointed for life and their primary role is to interpret the law and ensure it aligns with the Constitution. This includes making decisions on cases that may address complex issues of constitutional law. The composition of nine justices allows for a majority decision in cases, facilitating a balance of opinions and legal perspectives.

The other options represent different historical contexts or hypothetical structures that are not reflective of the current Supreme Court. While seven justices was the number at one point in the early years of the Court, it was later expanded. Eleven and thirteen justices are not representative of the established format, as the Court has not functioned with those numbers in modern history. Understanding the current structure of the Supreme Court is essential to grasping how judicial authority and interpretation of the law function in the United States.