1 / 8100%
Onceb theb Supremeb Courtb makeb ab rulingb it'sb prettyb muchb setb inb stoneb (finalb say).b Supremeb
Courtb canb beb modifiedb byb congressb butb notb overturnedb orb vetoed.b It'sb bestb knownb powersb isb
theb Judicialb reviewb orb tob declareb legislationb orb executiveb actb inb violationb ofb theb constitution.b
Supremeb Courtb isb theb highestb courtb inb theb land.b Thisb courtb wasb putb intob placeb tob makeb sureb
eachb branchb knowb theyb limitsb ofb powerb andb theyb dob notb overstepb boundaries.b Judicialb
Systemb makeb sureb theb Americanb peopleb valuesb areb notb undermine,b forb example;b freedomb ofb
speech,b freedomb ofb religion,b andb theb processb ofb law.b Supremeb Courtb handlesb manyb casesb
betweenb theb states,b highb rankingb ministers,b andb ambassadors.b Thereb areb manyb thatb wouldb
argueb thatb theb federalb judiciaryb isb theb mostb powerfulb branchb ofb theb government.b Ib wouldb
agreeb withb thisb asb itb isb theb mainb deciderb ofb ourb lawsb andb translationb ofb ourb constitutionalb
rightsb asb anb Americanb citizen.b Amongb theb manyb courtsb inb theb worldb theb justicesb theb supremeb
courtb supportsb areb theb highestb inb theb entireb country.b Theb supremeb courtb isb theb judicialb branchb
ofb governmentb thatb isb theb decidingb factorb betweenb territoriesb andb statesb onb whatb lawsb areb
constitutionalb orb notb andb itb isb madeb upb ofb nineb judges.b Theyb decideb whetherb tob overturnb orb
agreeb withb lowerb courtsb decisionsb thatb areb submittedb tob themb andb oftenb timesb willb helpb withb
theb casesb thatb areb theb mostb influential,b controversialb andb theb onesb thatb areb heavilyb coveredb
byb theb media.b Oneb ofb theb mostb controversialb casesb wasb oneb ofb election.b Theb Bushb vb Goreb
caseb wasb overturnedb byb theb supremeb courtb inb favorb ofb Bushb becomingb theb nextb presidentb ofb
theb Unitedb Statesb becauseb theb questionb becameb whetherb orb notb theb votersb wereb properlyb
beingb representedb duringb theb election.b Butb ultimatelyb theb reasonb itb isb sob powerfulb comesb
downb tob theb constitutionb whichb statesb thatb "theb judicialb powerb ofb theb Unitedb Statesb shallb beb
vestedb inb oneb supremeb Court."b Meaningb allb decisionsb willb comeb downb tob them.b Asb manyb
peopleb haveb argued,b Ib dob believeb theb U.Sb Supremeb Courtb hasb theb mostb power.b Whileb thereb isb
ab greatb systemb ofb checksb andb balancesb andb Ib dob notb thinkb web couldb rearrangeb itb anyb otherb
way.b Theb legislativeb branchb hasb theb powerb tob createb lawsb andb theb executiveb branchb hasb theb
presidentb ofb theb Unitedb States,b theyb bothb haveb tob beb checkb byb theb U.Sb Supremeb Court.b
Although,b theb presidentb nominatesb theb judgesb andb Senateb confirmsb them;b onceb appointedb theb
supremeb courtb judgesb mayb serveb forb life.b Thisb isb theb onlyb governmentb positionb inb whichb youb
areb appointedb forb life.b Inb articleb IIIb sectionb oneb itb statesb "theb powerb shallb beb investedb inb theb
supremeb court."b Theb U.Sb Supremeb courtb hasb madeb someb veryb bigb decisionsb inb courtb thatb
haveb beenb life-changing.b Forb example,b inb Dredb Scottb V.b Sanfordb (1857)b theb Scott'sb filedb ab
coupleb lawsuitsb forb theirb freedomb fromb theirb owner.b Theyb lostb theb firstb trailb butb wentb backb
forb retrialb andb won.b Thisb wasb theb firstb steppingb stoneb towardsb theb civilb warb asb itb fueledb manyb
anti-slaveryb movementsb backb then.b Ib wouldb agreeb thatb ourb federalb judiciaryb isb ourb mostb
powerb branchb ofb theb government,b becauseb ofb ourb U.Sb Supremeb Court.b Forb exampleb lookb atb
theb caseb Schenckb v.b Unitedb Statesb inb 1819.b Schenckb wasb makingb antib militaryb pamphletsb
encouragingb peopleb tob notb enlistb inb theb military.b Schenckb thoughtb heb couldb getb awayb withb itb
sinceb heb hadb freedomb ofb speech.b Itb wasb violatedb andb seenb asb ab clearb andb presentb dangerb tob
society.b Anotherb caseb isb Mirandab v.b Arizonab inb 1966.b Mr.b Mirandab wasb interrogatedb byb theb
policeb forb overb twob hoursb andb theb copsb neverb tellingb himb hisb rights.b Theseb areb twob casesb thatb
theb U.Sb Supremeb Courtb notb onlyb madeb ab decisionb onb thatb impactedb theb peopleb directlyb
involvedb butb becameb instilledb inb ourb society.b Mostb peopleb takeb theseb thingsb forb grantedb butb
withoutb theseb casesb whob knowsb whatb outcomesb web wouldb haveb today.b Theb Supremeb Courtb
hasb oneb chiefb justiceb andb eightb associatesb allb whob areb chosenb byb theb president.b Anyoneb canb
beb ab federalb judgeb whichb Ib thinkb thereb shouldb beb someb limitationb beforeb becomingb ab judge.b Ib
don'tb thinkb theb federalb judiciaryb isb theb mostb powerfulb branchb ofb government.b Theb mostb
powerfulb branchb ofb governmentb wouldb beb theb legislativeb branch.b Evenb thoughb theb federalb
judiciaryb branchb isb contributedb tob theb supremeb court.b Theb legislativeb branchb isb whob isb inb
chargeb ofb makingb andb passingb laws,b theyb canb alsob declareb war.b Everyb lawb hasb tob gob tob theb
legislativeb branchb tob beb decidedb ifb itb canb beb passedb orb not.b Makingb itb tob tob whereb theyb haveb
theb finalb sayb so.b Theb supremeb courtb howeverb doesb haveb theb rightb tob declareb anyb lawsb
unconstitutional.b Evenb thoughb theb judicialb branchb isb consistingb ofb theb courtsb andb enforcingb
laws,b that'sb prettyb muchb allb theyb dob inb regardsb tob theirb dutiesb involvingb theb branchb ofb
government.b Asb ib statedb previously,b theb legislativeb branchb hasb manyb otherb authoritiesb andb
powersb likeb makingb allb theb lawsb andb declaringb war.b Withb themb beingb inb theb positionb tob makeb
allb theb laws,b theb judicialb branchb hasb tob prettyb muchb justb beb inb chargeb ofb enforcingb theb laws.b
Whichb makesb theb legislativeb branchb haveb theb upperb handb againstb theb judicialb branch.b Ib amb ab
believerb thatb theb U.S.b Supremeb Courtb holdsb muchb ofb theb powerb thatb carries
theb federalb judiciaryb branchb ofb government.b Theb U.S.b Supremeb Courtb holdsb theb powerb tob
makeb decisionsb inb casesb thatb willb affectb theb outcomeb forb theb people,b theb governmentb andb theb
upholdingb ofb theb U.S.b Constitution.
Thisb clearlyb shows,b inb theb 1973b caseb Roeb v.b Wade.b Theb courtsb grantedb womenb theb rightb tob
terminateb ab pregnancyb withoutb theb governmentsb say.b Thisb wasb ab violationb ofb privacyb whichb
isb ab constitutionalb right.b Withb Gideonb v.b Wainwrightb inb 1961,b Theb U.S.b Supremeb Courtb
establishedb thatb ALLb whob couldb notb affordb legalb representationb forb ab federalb caseb wouldb beb
appointedb oneb byb theb court.b Thisb decisionb wasb basedb onb the14thb Amendmentb supportingb theb
6thb Amendmentb ofb theb Constitutionb statingb thatb theb rightb tob counselb hadb beenb violated.Theb
federalb judiciaryb requirementsb inb theb U.S.b Constitutionb wereb notb reallyb specified.b Nomineesb
areb selectedb byb membersb ofb Congress,b thenb theb Departmentb ofb Justiceb reviewb theb nomineesb
andb decideb ofb theirb qualificationsb basedb onb theirb ownb criteria.b Ib highlyb disagreedb whenb itb
comesb tob sayingb thatb someb peopleb arguedb theb federalb judiciaryb isb theb mostb powerfulb branchb
ofb theb government.b Evenb theb federalb judiciaryb hasb someb powerb tob themb theyb areb notb theb mostb
powerfulb inb theb country.b Forb manyb reasonsb whyb isb becauseb theb mostb powerfulb branchb wouldb
beb Legislativeb Branchb ofb governmentb becauseb theyb areb ableb tob passb lawsb andb sendb themb
directlyb tob theb Presidentb andb canb alsob impeachb theb President.b Federalb Judiciaryb playb manyb
rolesb inb theb governmentb suchb asb beingb ableb tob interpretb lawsb thatb givesb themb ab specialb kindb
ofb powerb inb theb government.b Theb Judiciaryb decidesb whenb lawsb areb beingb brokenb atb tob anb
extentb andb theyb decidesb whatb kindsb ofb punishmentb isb forb thatb crime.b Asb forb theb Legislativeb
Branchb theyb makeb allb theb laws,b declaresb warsb andb controlb taxingb andb spendingb policies.b Sob
againb nob Ib don'tb thinkb thatb theb Federalb Judiciaryb isb theb mostb powerfulb branchb butb againb itb hasb
someb powerb butb notb powerfulb enough.
Whenb takingb ab closeb lookb atb theb powerb sharedb betweenb allb threeb ofb theb branchesb ofb theb
Unitedb Statesb governmentb youb startb tob wonderb whichb takesb theb crownb ofb theb mostb powerfulb
ofb themb all.b Itb isb oftenb saidb thatb theb judiciaryb branchb ofb theb governmentb hasb theb mostb powerb
becauseb theb Supremeb Courtb carry’sb ab lotb ofb weightb inb decisionb makingb whichb inb turnb
strengthensb theb judiciaryb branchesb powerb butb Ib amb stillb goingb tob haveb tob disagreeb withb theb
argumentb thatb theb judiciaryb branchesb isb theb mostb powerfulb becauseb Ib wouldb haveb tob sayb thatb
theb legislativeb branchb takesb theb titleb ofb mostb powerfulb branch.b Accordingb theb USb
Constitutionb theb legislativeb branchb isb responsibleb forb makingb allb laws,b declaringb war,b theb
regulationb ofb interstateb andb foreignb commerce,b andb theb controllingb ofb taxationb andb spendingb
policies.b Allb thisb powerb givenb tob themb byb theb USb Constitutionb aloneb couldb giveb theb
legislativeb branchb theb titleb butb thereb isb alsob theb impliedb powerb thatb Congressb hasb becauseb
theyb alsob possessb theb abilityb tob overrideb theirb checksb andb balancesb thatb limitb theirb power.b Ib
agreeb thatb theb federalb judiciaryb isb theb mostb powerfulb branchb ofb government;b theyb areb theb
onesb inb chargeb ofb Judicialb Powers:b theyb haveb theb powerb tob stateb theb congressb
unconstitutional(Judicialb Checksb Legislation)b andb canb stateb actsb ofb executiveb president,b orb
Cabinetb Members.b Theb presidentb andb Congressb haveb someb controlb ofb theb judiciaryb withb theirb
abilityb tob appointb andb confirmb appointmentsb ofb judgesb andb justice.b Congressb mayb changeb
judges,b modifyb theb organizationb ofb theb federalb courtb system,b andb reviseb theb Constitution.
Someb exampleb ofb supremeb courtb decisionb are:
Articleb III,b Sectionb 1,b ofb theb Constitutionb establishesb theb judicialb branchb ofb theb federalb
government,b statingb thatb “theb judicialb powerb ofb theb Unitedb Statesb shallb beb vestedb inb oneb
supremeb Court,b andb inb suchb inferiorb Courtsb asb theb Congressb mayb fromb timeb tob timeb ordainb
andb establish.”b Theseb courtsb areb supposedb tob serveb …(https://www.theuconstitution.org)b ,b
Anotherb exampleb inb 1954b theb Courtsb unanimouslyb ruledb raciallyb segregatedb publicb schoolsb
areb unconstitutionalb andb violatedb theb Fourteenthb Amendment,b Thisb decisionb overturnedb ab
previousb case,b Plessyb v.b Ferguson,b whichb wasb theb resultb ofb theb separateb butb equalb doctrine.b
(www.whitehouse.gov)
“Althoughb notb alwaysb theb mostb visibleb orb prominentb partb ofb theb Americanb systemb ofb
politics,b theb federalb judiciaryb hasb certainlyb beenb amongb theb mostb important.”b (Han,b 2012)b
Thisb statementb supportsb myb agreementb onb howb theb federalb judiciaryb isb theb mostb powerfulb
branchb ofb government.b Theb Supremeb courtb isb theb highestb courtb inb theb nation.b Thereb areb
lowerb Federalb courts,b butb theyb wereb notb madeb explicitlyb madeb inb theb Constitution.b Theb
Supremeb Court’sb mainb jobb isb tob decideb ifb lawsb areb constitutional,b andb forb theb individualsb
.Theb Supremeb Courtb isb aboveb state’sb courts.
ROEb V.b WADEb 1973
Theb rightb tob privacyb extendsb tob ab woman’sb decisionb aboutb whetherb tob terminateb herb
pregnancy.b “Theb rightb ofb theb peopleb tob beb secureb inb theirb persons,b houses,b papers,b andb
effects,b againstb unreasonableb searchesb andb seizures,b shallb notb beb violated,b andb nob warrantsb
shallb issue,b butb uponb probableb cause,b supportedb byb oathb orb affirmation,b andb particularlyb
describingb theb placeb tob beb searched,b andb theb personsb orb thingsb tob beb seized.”b (U.S.b Const.,b
amend.b IV)b Theb decisionb tob extendb thisb amendment,b wasb limitedb tob theb firstb twob trimestersb
ofb ab woman’sb pregnancy.b Theb courtb ruledb thatb theb rightb tob privacyb couldb varyb fromb state-to-
stateb inb theb thirdb trimester.b Thisb meansb thatb underb theb rightsb ofb theb constitution,b everyb
womanb inb theb Unitedb Statesb hasb theb rightb tob privacyb withinb theb 6-monthb periodb ofb herb
pregnancy.b “Manyb economistsb agreeb thatb inb additionb tob variousb legal,b cultural,b andb politicalb
ramifications,b theb legalizationb ofb abortionb hasb hadb far-reachingb butb notb fullyb understoodb
economicb implicationsb forb womenb andb familiesb andb maybeb tiedb tob phenomenab suchb asb
improvedb collegeb graduationb ratesb andb economicb prosperityb forb women.”b (Roeb V.b Wadeb
(1973).,b 2015)b Thisb isb ab highb contentiousb Supremeb Courtb decision.b Ib wouldb agreeb thatb theb
federalb judiciaryb isb theb mostb powerfulb governmentb branch.b Alsob thatb theb powerb isb attributedb
tob theb U.S.b Supremeb Court.b Theb Constitutionalb Foundationsb ofb theb Judiciaryb explainb thatb
"everb sinceb 1803,b whenb Chiefb Justiceb Johnb Marshallb assertedb theb finalityb ofb Supremeb Courtb
decisionsb andb theirb authorityb overb theb presidencyb andb Congress,b theb powerb andb statureb ofb theb
federalb judiciary,b andb especiallyb theb nation’sb highestb court,b haveb grownb steadily"b (Theb
Constitutionalb Foundationsb ofb theb Judiciary,b 2012).b
Examplesb ofb theb U.S.b Supremeb Courtb decisionsb includeb Lovingb vs.b Virginiab (1967),b Roeb vs.b
Wadeb (1973),b andb Marburyb vsb Madisonb (1803)b whichb establishedb theb powerb ofb Judicialb
Reviewb inb theb U.S.b Supremeb Court.b "Thisb power,b whichb wasb laterb extendedb tob allb federalb
courts,b authorizesb theb federalb judiciaryb tob reviewb lawsb enactedb byb Congressb andb theb
presidentb andb tob invalidateb thoseb thatb violateb theb Constitution.b Theb powerb ofb judicialb reviewb
alsob permitsb federalb courtsb tob compelb governmentb officialsb tob takeb actionb inb accordanceb withb
constitutionalb principles"b (Galeb Encyclopediab ofb Americanb Law,b 2011).b Articleb III,b Sectionb
1,b ofb theb Constitutionb establishesb theb judicialb branchb ofb theb federalb government,b statingb thatb
“theb judicialb powerb ofb theb Unitedb Statesb shallb beb vestedb inb oneb supremeb Court,b andb inb suchb
inferiorb Courtsb asb theb Congressb mayb fromb timeb tob timeb ordainb andb establish"b (U.S.b federalb
courtsb 101,b 2018).b Ib disagreeb thatb theb federalb judiciaryb isb theb mostb powerfulb branchb ofb
government.b Inb myb opinionb Ib believeb theb Legislativeb branchb isb theb mostb powerful.b Theb
Judicialb branchb isb madeb upb ofb theb USb Supremeb Courtsb andb theb legislativeb branchb consistb ofb
theb Houseb andb Senate.b Theb Judicialb branchb decidesb theb constitutionalityb ofb federalb lawsb andb
resolvesb otherb disputesb aboutb federalb laws.b Theyb dob notb makeb laws,b theyb interpretb theb lawsb
ofb Congress.b Theyb onlyb makeb decisionsb onb actualb casesb whereb someoneb mayb haveb shownb
theyb haveb beenb harmed.b Itb isb theb weakestb branchb outb ofb theb threeb governmentb branches.b Itb isb
theb courtb ofb lastb resortb forb thoseb lookingb forb justiceb ofb anyb sort.b Itb isb inb chargeb ofb decidingb
theb meaningb ofb laws.b Theb Legislativeb branchb actuallyb makeb theb lawsb whichb isb whyb Ib believeb
thatb branchb tob beb theb mostb powerful.b Theb executiveb branchb areb theb onesb thatb carriesb outb theb
law.b Someb examplesb ofb USb Supremeb Courtb decisionsb wouldb beb Marburyb v.b Madison,b Brownb
v.b Boardb Ofb Education,b Mirandab v.b Arizona,b andb Gibbonsb vb Ogdenb tob nameb ofb few.
Referencesb
Han,b Lorib Cox,b andb Tomislavb Han.b "Theb Constitutionalb Foundationsb ofb theb Judiciary."b
Handbookb tob Americanb Democracy,b vol.b 4:b Theb Judicialb Branch,b Factsb onb File,b 2012,b pp.b 27-
57.b Galeb eBooks,b link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2024000049/GPS?u=uphoenix&sid=bookmark-
GPS&xid=58e0be6d.b Accessedb 26b Jan.b 2023.
"Marburyb V.b Madison."b Galeb Encyclopediab ofb Americanb Law,b editedb byb Donnab Batten,b 3rdb
ed.,b vol.b 6,b Gale,b 2011,b pp.b 459-463.b Galeb eBooks,b
link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX1337702805/GVRL?u=uphoenix&sid=bookmark-
GVRL&xid=79a66018.b Accessedb 26b Jan.b 2023.
U.S.b federalb courtsb 101.b Constitutionalb Accountabilityb Center.b (2018,b Februaryb 25).b
Retrievedb Januaryb 27,b 2023,b fromb https://www.theusconstitution.org/u-s-federal-courts-
101/#:~:text=Article%20III%2C%20Section%201%2C%20of,courts%20are%20supposed%2
0to%20serveb
Han,b L.b C.,b &b Han,b T.b (2012).b Theb Constitutionalb Foundationsb ofb theb Judiciary.b Inb
Handbookb tob Americanb Democracyb (Vol.b 4,b pp.b 27-57).b Factsb onb File.b
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2024000049/GPS?u=uphoenix&sid=bookmark-
GPS&xid=58e0be6d
Theb Judicialb Branch,b Ben’sb Guideb tob theb U.S.b Government.b https://bensguide.gpo.gov/
U.S.b Constitution
Roeb V.b Wadeb (1973).b (2015).b Inb T.b Riggs(Ed.),Theb Galeb encyclopediab ofb U.S.b economicb
history(2nded.).b Gale.b Credob
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/phoenix.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.credoreferenc
e.com%2Fcontent%2Fentry%2Fgalegue%2Froe_v_wade_1973%2F0%3FinstitutionId%3D1
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