1. Complete 7.2 Check up if you have not completed it already Work on Show me the evidence

2. What is the Supreme Court’s main job?
Decide whether laws are allowed by the U.S. Constitution

3. Jurisdiction
The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in two types of cases
One type is cases that involved disputes between two or more states
The other is cases that involve diplomats from foreign countries
In all other instances, the Supreme Court only hears cases that have been appealed from the lower courts

4. Supreme Court
Has final authority in cases involving the Constitution, acts or Congress, and treaties with other nations
Court’s decisions are binding on all lower courts
Only hears a small percentage of the cases it receives
Court chooses which cases it will hear and if they refuse a case the decision of the lower court remains

5. Duties of Justices The Supreme Court is made up of nine justices
Chief justice and 8 associate justices
The chief justice is the Court’s leader
Congress sets this number and has the power to change it
They hear and rule on cases

6. Qualifications of Justices
Constitution does not name any qualifications for a Supreme Court justice
Before being named to the Court many have practiced or taught law or held other public offices
Because the justices interpret what the Constitution means, they have great power
The men and women who sit on the Court have their jobs for life
Presidents have to choose a nominee and Senate has to approve them

7. In recent years members of Congress and media have looked into a nominee’s personal life and professional qualifications
Article III of the Constitution creates the judicial branch
It does not describe the branch in detail
Over the years congress has established most of the rules that govern the powers and organization of the Supreme Court

8. Supreme Court Powers
Most important power of the Supreme Court is the power of judicial review
Judicial review: the power of the Supreme Court to say whether any federal, state, or local law or government action goes against eh Constitution
What happens if the court decides a law is unconstitutional?
they can nullify or legally cancel the law or action
What happens if a law is constitutional?
The law remains in place
Judicial review is an important check on the legislative and executive branches of government

9. Supreme Court Limits
Checks and balances in the Constitution put limits on the power of federal courts (including the Supreme Court)
The Court can only hear and make rulings on the cases that come to it
The Court will not rule on a law or action that has not been challenged on appeal
All cases taken by the Court must be actual legal disputes

10. Supreme court limits
The Court can only take cases that involved a federal question
Traditionally the Court has refused to deal with political matters
The Court has no resources to make governments do what it orders, they must depend on the executive branch and state and local officials to follow the rules it establishes

11. Marbury v Madison
The Constitution does not give the Supreme Court the power of judicial review
The Judiciary Act of 1780 provided the courts with this power

12. Marbury v Madison
Justice Marshall’s opinion in the case of Marbury v Madison set forth three main principles of judicial review:
The Constitution is the supreme law of the land
If there is a conflict between the Constitution and any other law, the Constitution rules
The judicial branch has a duty to uphold the Constitution.

13. What is an example where the executive branch did not enforce the Court decision?
President Jackson refused to obey the decision made by the Court in Worcester v. Georgia. Jackson refused to take any steps to make the state obey the Court’s ruling
  What can Congress do if they disagree with a Court ruling?
It can pass new laws or change a law that the Court has found to be unconstitutional
They can also try to undo Court rulings by changing the Constitution with an amendment

14. Chart from beginning of class
Jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction with disputes between states
Original jurisdiction in cases that involve foreign diplomats
Appellate jurisdiction n all other cases
Duties
Hears and rules on cases
Powers
Judicial review
Decides if law or acts of the government are allowed by the Constitution
Can determine if things are unconstitutional
Limits
Generally does not take on political matters
Relies on other branches to enforce decisions
Congress and states can get around court decisions with new laws or amendments