An apex court, also known as a supreme court, court of last resort, or high court of appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. It serves as the final arbiter of cases raising constitutional questions and has jurisdiction to decisively decide federalism-related cases. The jurisdictional scope of such apex courts varies across countries, and they may have varying numbers of judges and diverse methods for selecting them. Some countries have constitutional courts that serve as the final arbiter for administrative law cases, and these institutions may not be formally part of the judiciary. The key features of an apex court include being the highest court on all constitutional matters in a particular country, being a multi-member court that adjudicates in plenary or in panels, and dealing regularly with politically charged cases that have foundational consequences for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in the country. The decisions of apex courts resonate through the legal system and often shape the common law.