Judicial Review : The United States Government

The United States government consists of three main branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial, also referred to as the Supreme Court. Cooperatively, the Supreme Court, the President, and Congress attempt to work in consensus to run the three-pronged government of the United States. The judicial branch of the United States government oversees justice throughout the country by reviewing and applying laws through a court system. This court is comprised of nine, life-long serving Justices who are selected by the President of the United States and approved by the Senate by a majority vote. Once appointed, the Judiciary can serve for life upon good behavior (A. pg.231). The Supreme Court never runs for reelection because judges can serve until they die or commit bad behavior.

The Supreme Court of the United States has acquired a number of powers over the years. However, one power, in particular, is of great magnitude, judicial review. Judicial review is the primary role of the Supreme Court. Judicial review is the power to examine, and overturn the actions by the legislature and executive branch of both the federal and state governments.

Marbury v. Madison (1803), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court established judicial review in the United States under Article III of the Constitution (A. pg.178). Article III says a court will exist and it will be appointed, a court will have jurisdiction over cases involving federal issues, original and appellate. Although the immediate effect of the decision in this care was to deny power to the Court, in the long run it increased the Court’s power by establishing the rule that it is the jurisdiction and duty of the judicial department to determine the...

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...antage of a chance to have more power, as a result another branch loses power, hindering the ability of the branches to be effective. A branch of government is effective, if it has the ability to carry out its Constitutional duties without overstepping its power. The Constitution intended for the system of checks and balances to be upheld since its creation. Today, is seems the branches are taking power from each other in order to accomplish as much as possible despite Constitutional boundaries. While a temporary sense of success may be attained, the ways by which the branch accomplished their goal may often be questionable. The Judicial branch has successfully remained within its Constitutional boundaries in comparison to other branches of government by not seeking to take power from the legislative or executive branches and by preserving its judicial independence.