Lesson 2.9: Legitimacy of the Judicial Branch
Enduring Understanding:
The design of the judicial branch protects the Supreme Court’s independence as a branch of government, and the emergence and use of judicial review remains a powerful judicial practice.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power.
Essential Knowledge:
Precedents and stare decisis play an important role in judicial decision making.
Ideological changes in the composition of the Supreme Court due to presidential appointments have led to the Court’s establishing new or rejecting existing precedents.
Activity #1: Finish Supreme Court Stations
In your notebooks, finish the three Supreme Court Stations that you have left to complete. Make sure to title the activity "Supreme Court Stations." If you are absent, you can find the stations below.
Activity #2: Nifty-Fifty Vocab:
Once you are finished with the Supreme Court Stations, please complete these four vocabulary terms in your notebooks. For each of the terms identify the long (textbook) definition, the short (in your own words definition) and example.
Amicus Curiae Brief
Stare Decisis
Judicial Review
Precedant
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