The Judicial Branch

• This branch of government interprets or reviews the laws Congress and the President make (Judicial Review)

• All laws that are passed must follow the U.S. Constitution

• If a law violates the U.S. Constitution it will be struck down and removed by this court

• You do not have to follow laws that have been proven to be unconstitutional

Supreme Court Qualifications

• There are no age, residency, and citizenship requirements for judges in the U.S. Constitution

• ​The president picks judges and the senate approves before they are given the job

• The Convention in Philadelphia wanted the Senate and President to pick qualified judges

U.S. Federal Court System

• The Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S.

• There are 9 justices that sit on the Supreme Court

• Supreme Court judges serve for life and cannot have their pay reduced while they are in office

• Judges can be removed through impeachment if they break the law

• The Chief Justice leads the court

• The President has the power to get people out of prison (Pardon)​

• The President can grant reprieves for those on death row to ensure they are guilty​

Treason

• Treason is giving aid and or comfort to our enemies

• There must be two witnesses to the person committing an act of treason

• The Federal Courts rule over all treason cases

• Treason is punishable by death or imprisonment

Federalism

• System of government where the states and national governments share power and each has their own powers as well

• This system has national, state, and shared powers.

• The president has the power of reprieves and pardons to ensure innocent people are not imprisoned or mistreated

• States set up schools, issue licenses, and ​regulate state commerce

• Both states and federal governments can​ tax our incomes, put us in jail for breaking the law, regulate banks, and borrow money

Checks and Balances

• The three branches of government have powers over each other

• The idea is to keep one branch of government from becoming too powerful

• See diagram to the right --->