Mollie Brainard
10.13.08
Steve's crew
Judicial Branch
There are three different sections of the judicial branch, District Courts, Courts of Appeals and the Supreme Court. Congress has the power to establish other courts. For example, in 1789 around the time of the very first congress, the district and appeals courts were created, they are called the lower courts.
The district courts decide both criminal and civil acts in states. District courts are the courts of the States. They mostly decide cases against a person who commits a crime against a person, or persons. They also settle cases where one person sues another person.
The courts of appeals handle the cases that were appealed from a district court. The defendant then has another chance to prove that he/she are innocent. If the court finds them innocent, the defendant is free to go but if the court finds the defendant guilty, they have one more chance to appeal their case to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the nation. The Supreme court helps to interperate the constitution to decide whether a law is unfair or not. The Supreme Court also has the power to help the congress pass laws. The Supreme court rules in all the cases regarding treaties, ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls and Jurisdiction;—to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;—to Controversies between two or more States;—between a State and Citizens of another State;—between Citizens of different States;—between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
To check the powers of both the executive and legislative branches, the judicial branch can veto and and pass laws.
I think that it is sort of fair that a Supreme Court Justice gets to serve life terms, because they have earned their seat on the Supreme Court, and if they're advanced in their years, then they probably won't be there for long anyway. So I think that is is fair. What I think would be even more fair, is if the president didn't get to say who the justices are once one dies, I think that WE the people should have a say at who gets chosen to be a justice on the Supreme Court. I also think that there should be an even number of both liberal and conservative judges. There should be four and four and the last one should be independent. It would make things way more fair.
Why does the different branches of the government get to make all of these choices for us? I think that it's not fair that they get to make all these choices for us. Pretty soon the word, "democracy" will be a thing of the past. It will be something kids learn about in school. It will be something that we tell our grandchildren about in the future. Why do they get to make these choices??? That isn't fair! Democracy is going to have a new meaning. Our country is going to make that word have a whole different meaning. It's going to start meaning that our government is in control of us. They will be able to control everything we do!