POL 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Political Philosophy, Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg
11 May 2016
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The constitution establishes the federal courts in article iii. Judges" salaries cannot be reduced during their time in office. Federal judicial power extends to any case under the constitution. C) cases that involve gov"t officials from any nation or state. Judicial power is in the court"s ability to decide cases & controversies. In doing so, the court determines what the constitution and laws really mean. Authority to declare acts of congress, and by implication acts of the president, unconstitutional if they exceed the powers granted by the constitution. The court became the arbiter of the constitution (final authority on what the document meant) Gives the sc a significant role in gov"t. 1) courts make policy by interpreting statutory laws laws of congress. A) congress has habit of making laws vague. This gives power to the courts, allows court to define. B) congress may deliberately make vague laws, forcing nonpolitical judges to make controversial decisions.
