The Supreme Court The Courtroom of the Supreme Court In 1789, Article III of the constitution did not only grant congress the power to create federal courts but also established what would become the highest federal court in the country and the head of the judicial branch of the government, the Supreme court. President George Washington signed the Judiciary Act of 1789 which specified that six justices would serve on the court and that they would continue to serve until they either retired or died. These first six justices would be John Jay, James Wilson, John Rutledge, William Cushing, John Blair Jr, and Robert Hanson Harrison. John Jay became the first chief justice, which is the highest judicial officer in the nation. There is a specific set of duties pertaining to the chief justice position including creating the agenda for the Supreme Court justices' meetings, chose who will write the court's opinion when the chief justice is apart of the majority opinion and presides ove