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The words written on the entrance of the Supreme Court building summarize the purpose of the judicial branch: "Equal justice under law."   

The words written on the entrance of the Supreme Court building summarize the purpose of the judicial branch: "Equal justice under law."   

The Chief Justice is the administrator in charge of the federal court system.

The [[Chief Justice]] is the administrator in charge of the federal court system.

All federal judges are appointed by the president and serve for life. There are nine justices in the Supreme Court.

All federal judges are appointed by the president and serve for life. There are nine justices on the Supreme Court.

The Judicial branch was thought by the [[Founders]] to be the least dangerous branch of our government, because it had the power to interpret the law, not enforce or make it. For this reason, the Constitution is not very specific about the judicial branch.  

The Judicial branch was thought by the [[Founders]] to be the least dangerous branch of our government, because it had the power to interpret the law, not enforce or make it. For this reason, the Constitution is not very specific about the judicial branch.  

   

   

The idea of [[judicial review]] (the power of the Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutional), implied by the Constitution, but established by the ruling of Chief Justice [[John Marshall]] in the famous case ''[[Marbury v. Madison]]'', established the Supreme Court's power. In this case, Justice Marshall declared that the Supreme Court could overrule any law passed by Congress that violated Constitutional.  

The idea of [[judicial review]] (the power of the Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutional), implied by the Constitution, but established by the ruling of Chief Justice [[John Marshall]] in the famous case ''[[Marbury v. Madison]]'', established the Supreme Court's power. In this case, Justice Marshall declared that the Supreme Court could overrule any law passed by Congress that violated Constitutional.

 

==Presidential controls==

==Presidential controls==

While this decision provided that the Supreme Court keeps the other two branches in check, there are next to no checks on the Supreme Court, except for appointments and impeachment. Impeachment has not been used since President [[Thomas Jefferson]] failed in 1805 to secure the conviction of [[Samuel Chase]], a member of the opposition party, although he did manage to get articles of impeachment passed. Jefferson did succeed in abolishing lower courts and thus remove judged appointed by his opponents.

While this decision provided that the Supreme Court keeps the other two branches in check, there are next to no checks on the Supreme Court, except for appointments and impeachment. Impeachment has not been used since President [[Thomas Jefferson]] failed in 1805 to secure the conviction of [[Samuel Chase]], a member of the opposition party, although he did manage to get articles of impeachment passed. Jefferson did succeed in abolishing lower courts and thus remove judged appointed by his opponents.

==Judicial activism==

==Judicial activism==

Judicial activism is a growing problem in the United States, as judges seek to advance their own political ideologies and legislate from the bench rather than interpret the Constitution as written. The rise of judicial activism has coincided with the growing number of contentious and controversial judicial nominations in the U.S.<ref>Gramlich, John (March 7, 2018). [http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/07/federal-judicial-picks-have-become-more-contentious-and-trumps-are-no-exception/ Federal judicial picks have become more contentious, and Trump’s are no exception]. ''Pew Research Center''. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/adviceanddissent_chapter.pdf The Struggle to Shape the Federal Judiciary]. ''Brookings Institution''. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref><ref>Wolfe, Christopher (March 3, 2006). [https://www.heritage.org/the-constitution/report/constitutional-interpretation-judicial-activism-the-transformation-judicial From Constitutional Interpretation to Judicial Activism: The Transformation of Judicial Review in America]. ''Heritage Foundation''. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref>

[[Judicial activism]] is a growing problem in the United States, as judges seek to advance their own political ideologies and legislate from the bench rather than interpret the Constitution as written. The rise of judicial activism has coincided with the growing number of contentious and controversial judicial nominations in the U.S.<ref>Gramlich, John (March 7, 2018). [http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/07/federal-judicial-picks-have-become-more-contentious-and-trumps-are-no-exception/ Federal judicial picks have become more contentious, and Trump’s are no exception]. ''Pew Research Center''. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/adviceanddissent_chapter.pdf The Struggle to Shape the Federal Judiciary]. ''Brookings Institution''. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref><ref>Wolfe, Christopher (March 3, 2006). [https://www.heritage.org/the-constitution/report/constitutional-interpretation-judicial-activism-the-transformation-judicial From Constitutional Interpretation to Judicial Activism: The Transformation of Judicial Review in America]. ''Heritage Foundation''. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref>

== Resources ==

== Further reading ==

*''A History of the US; Book 4; The New Nation'' by Joy Hakim

*''A History of the US; Book 4; The New Nation'' by Joy Hakim

* http://www.supremecourtus.gov/about/constitutional.pdf

* http://www.supremecourtus.gov/about/constitutional.pdf

*''U.S. Government and Politics'' by Paul Soifer

*''U.S. Government and Politics'' by Paul Soifer

[[Category:United States Government]]

[[Category:United States Government]]

[[Category:Judicial]]

[[Category:Judicial]]