Notes on Bureaucracy and the Judicial Branch

Key Concepts in Bureaucracy and the Judicial Branch

• Delegated Discretionary Authority: Power from federal government to agencies for decision-making and policy implementation.
• Cabinet: Core executive departments.
• Iron Triangle: Stability in policy relationships among agencies, Congress, and interest groups.
• Bureaucratic Implementation: The process by which bureaucracies enact and enforce laws.
• Congressional Oversight: Mechanisms, such as hearings, to monitor bureaucratic activity.
• Power of the Purse: Congressional control over funding and budget.
• Federalist #78: Discusses the role of the judiciary and the principle of judicial review.
• Marbury vs. Madison: Landmark case that established judicial review.
• Judicial Review: Authority of courts to invalidate laws or executive actions deemed unconstitutional.
• Certiorari (Certing): Process by which the Supreme Court decides to hear cases.
• Supreme Court Justice Appointment: Process to become a justice, requiring nomination and Senate confirmation.
• Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Restraint: Two approaches to judicial decision-making regarding the interpretation of laws.
• Lifetime Tenure and Good Behavior: Justices serve for life barring misconduct.
• Stare Decisis and Precedents: The legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent.