Here is our first reading for the Judicial Branch. Go through the reading and answer the following questions in Canvas.
- What is the primary responsibility of the Judicial Branch of the U.S. government as outlined in the text?
- How did Chief Justice John Marshall’s ruling in Marbury v. Madison influence the concept of judicial review?
- Explain the difference between statutory law and common law as described in the document. Why is this distinction significant?
- Identify and discuss the significance of the “stare decisis” principle in common law. How does it affect judicial decisions?
- Based on the text, what are the key milestones in the development of the federal court system from 1789 to 2000? How do these milestones reflect changes in the judicial process?
- Analyze the structure of the Supreme Court as mentioned in the text. How does the seating arrangement of the justices reflect their hierarchy and roles?
- Reflect on the quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes regarding common law. What message does this convey about the evolution of law, and how might this relate to contemporary legal practices?