Final answer:
Congress has the power to determine the size of the Supreme and other federal courts, including the authority to change the number of Supreme Court justices, which has been set at nine since 1869 after various adjustments in the past. Justices are appointed for life subsequent to nomination by the president and confirmation by the Senate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The control over the size of the Supreme and other federal courts is vested in Congress. Congress has the authority to increase or decrease the number of justices on the Supreme Court. However, the number of Supreme Court justices has remained at nine since 1869, which includes one chief justice and eight associate justices.
While there have been instances in history when the expansion of the Court was considered, notably during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency and during the 2020 presidential election, no changes have been made to the Court's size since 1869.
Under Article III of the U.S. Constitution, the power to determine the structure of the federal judiciary is granted to Congress, thus giving it the ability to set the number of justices. Justices of the Supreme Court are appointed for life, subject to successful nomination by the president and confirmation by the Senate.
The Judicial Branch, organized under the Constitution, consists of the Supreme Court, circuit courts, and federal district courts. In this system, the Supreme Court acts as the final arbiter and sets precedents that lower courts must follow.