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Judicial Branch Research Paper

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The judicial branch of the United States government consists of the courts that settle disputes and interpret the law and United States constitution. The judicial powers come from Article Three of the United States Constitution. This article also gave Congress the power to create smaller federal courts. Every society has conflicts that are generally resolved through the court systems. Such cases are divided into two types of cases which are known as, civil and criminal cases. Civil cases are the most common and are commonly disputes over things such as money, property, and family issues such as divorce and child custody. In these cases, plaintiffs often will start a lawsuit against the defendant. These cases are generally resolved by deciding for or against a side or meeting in the middle. …show more content…

In total there are ninety-four district courts that are staffed by almost seven hundred individuals. Along with the district courts is the federal court of appeals. They make important decisions about errors within the district courts. In the United States there are currently thirteen court of appeals. Among the many powers of the judicial branch the most important is the power of judicial review. Essentially, the federal courts can “refuse to apply a state or federal law because it, in their judgement violates the United States Constitution.” Judicial review in a way is like checks and balances because it allows one to make sure they are in line with the constitution. It is like a final check to ensure the constitution is being followed correctly. Judges have been granted the power to interpret the law and many question the validity in which they do so. The philosophies by which they judge are called judicial philosophies and include judicial restraint, strict constructionism, loose constructionism and judicial activism. Judicial restraint encourages judges to limit their power. Strict constructionism limits judicial

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