Checks and Balances

Legislative checks on Executive

• Impeachment and removal of the president and other executive officers

• Override presidential veto with 2/3 vote in both houses

• Senate approves presidential appointments and treaties

Executive checks on Legislative

• President can veto laws

• Convene congress by calling a special session and forcing them to meet

Executive checks on Judicial

• President appoints federal judges

• President can pardon people convicted of federal crimes (not state level crimes)

Judicial checks on Executive

• Judicial Review (declare actions of president unconstitutional)

Judicial checks on Legislative

• Judicial Review (declare laws unconstitutional)

• During an impeachment trial, the chief justice presides over it to ensure a fair trial (no voting power)

Legislative checks on Judicial

• Senate confirms federal judges

• Congress can impeach and remove judges

• Defines the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction

• Can change the number of justices

• Can propose a constitutional amendment to overrule a Supreme Court decision

• Congress can propose modified legislation to make laws declared unconstitutional constitutional