2.1: Federal Courts, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights

Knowledge Check:

What is the primary function of the federal judiciary in the American political system?

  • To ensure laws align with the Constitution

What was the constitutional significance of the Supreme Court’s decision in Marbury v. Madison?

  • It gave the Court the power of judicial review

2.1.1: The Supreme Court

Article III, Section 1 = The judicial power of the United States is vested in one Supreme Court and such inferior courts as Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.

Judiciary Act = legislation enacted in 1789 that established the federal court system and outlined the jurisdiction of the federal courts.

  1. 6 Justice Supreme Court (Then 5 Justices)

  2. 13 District Courts

  3. 3 Circuit Courts

Congress’ Check on Judicial Branch = the ability to alter the number of justices on the Supreme Court, as well as its jurisdiction and the structure of lower courts.

Supreme Court Check on Legislative Branch = the power of judicial review, allowing the Court to invalidate laws and actions by Congress that it deems unconstitutional.

The Marshall Court = the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall (1801-1835), which established the principle of judicial review in the landmark case Marbury v. Madison, thus significantly enhancing the power of the judiciary.

  1. Marbury v. Madison = a landmark Supreme Court case that set the precedent for judicial review, asserting that it is the duty of the judiciary to declare void any laws that are in conflict with the Constitution.

  2. Fletcher v. Peck = a landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle that the Supreme Court could invalidate state laws that infringed upon the Constitution.

  3. Dartmouth College v. Woodward = a significant Supreme Court case that upheld the sanctity of contracts, stating that the charter granted to Dartmouth College was protected under the Contract Clause of the Constitution, thereby limiting the power of state governments to alter or interfere with private charters.

1937 Court Packing Plan = a controversial proposal by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to increase the number of Supreme Court justices from nine to fifteen, aiming to gain favorable rulings for his New Deal legislation, but ultimately faced strong opposition and was seen as a threat to the independence of the judiciary.

Plaintiff = the individual or group who brings a case against another in a court of law, seeking remedy or enforcement of a right.

Defendants = the individuals or entities being accused or sued in a legal proceeding, who must respond to the plaintiff's claims and defend against the accusations.

Original Jurisdiction = the authority of a court to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, where a higher court reviews the decision of a lower court.

Appellate Jurisdiction = the power of a court to review and change the outcomes of decisions made by lower courts, typically focusing on errors of law and procedure rather than factual disputes.

Supreme Court Functioning as an Appeals Court

  1. Lower court made conflicting decisions

  2. Lower court made a decision that conflicts with previous supreme court decision

  3. National consequences

  4. Solicitor General urges the court to take the case

Writ of Certiorari (Rule of Four) = 4/9 Justices must agree to hear the case

Types of Decisions:

  1. Majority = more than half of the justices in agreement on a ruling, typically leading to the establishment of legal precedent.

  2. Concurring = Justices agree with the majority decision but for different reasons, providing additional reasoning or context to the court's ruling.

  3. Dissenting = Justices who disagree with the majority decision, often outlining their reasoning and perspective, which can serve to influence future legal interpretations.

  4. Unanimous = all justices agree on the ruling, reflecting a strong consensus and often lending significant weight to the decision as a binding authority.

Louisiana Purchase = a landmark acquisition of territory by the United States from France in 1803, which effectively doubled the size of the nation and opened up vast tracts of land for exploration and settlement.

2.1.2: Judicial Implementation and the Lower Federal Courts