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What is the role of the Supreme Court?
Highest court; decisions bind all courts; can overrule precedents.
What is the role of lower courts?
Follow higher court precedents; reconcile conflicting precedents.
What is the President's role in the judiciary?
Appoints Supreme Court justices, impacting Court's direction.
What is the role of the Senate in judicial appointments?
Provides 'advice and consent' on presidential nominations to the federal judiciary.
What is the role of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
Presides over the Court's sessions and often leads the discussion during oral arguments.
What is the role of the Solicitor General?
Represents the U.S. government in cases before the Supreme Court.
What is the role of federal district courts?
Serve as the trial courts of the federal court system.
What is the role of federal courts of appeals?
Hear appeals from the district courts located within their respective circuits.
What is the role of judicial review?
The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
What is the role of amicus curiae briefs?
Legal documents filed by outside parties to provide additional information or arguments to the court.
Cause and effect: Presidential appointments to the Supreme Court.
Cause: President appoints justices. Effect: Shifts ideological balance, potential precedent reversal.
Cause and effect: Supreme Court overruling precedent.
Cause: Outdated/unjust decision. Effect: New precedent established, legal landscape changes.
Cause and effect: Changes in societal values.
Cause: Evolving societal norms. Effect: Courts may deviate from *stare decisis*.
Cause and effect: Conflicting precedents in lower courts.
Cause: Conflicting rulings from different courts. Effect: Lower courts must reconcile or follow higher court.
Cause and effect: A justice's ideology.
Cause: Justice holds certain beliefs. Effect: Influences interpretation of law, approach to precedent.
Cause and effect: Increased diversity on the Supreme Court.
Cause: More diverse justices appointed. Effect: Broader range of perspectives influencing legal decisions.
Cause and effect: Technological advancements.
Cause: New technologies emerge. Effect: Courts must adapt existing laws to address novel legal issues.
Cause and effect: Public opinion on legal issues.
Cause: Shifting public attitudes. Effect: Courts may consider public opinion when deciding whether to uphold or overturn precedents.
Cause and effect: International legal norms.
Cause: Growing influence of international law. Effect: Courts may consider international norms when interpreting domestic laws.
Cause and effect: Economic crises.
Cause: Economic downturns or recessions. Effect: Courts may need to address legal challenges related to economic regulations and policies.
What was the significance of *Brown v. Board of Education* (1954)?
Overruled *Plessy v. Ferguson*, establishing that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.
What doctrine did *Plessy v. Ferguson* establish?
Established the 'separate but equal' doctrine, allowing segregation.
What was the impact of *Brown v. Board* on segregation?
It declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional.
What legal principle was challenged in *Brown v. Board*?
The 'separate but equal' doctrine established in *Plessy v. Ferguson*.
What did *Brown v. Board* establish regarding education?
Separate educational facilities for African American and white students are inherently unequal.
How did *Brown v. Board* change legal precedent?
It overturned the legal precedent set by *Plessy v. Ferguson*.
What was the legal basis for the decision in *Brown v. Board*?
The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
What impact did *Brown v. Board* have on civil rights?
It was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement, paving the way for desegregation.
What was the dissenting opinion in *Plessy v. Ferguson*?
Justice Harlan argued that the Constitution is color-blind and does not allow for segregation.
What was the social context of *Plessy v. Ferguson*?
It occurred during a time of widespread segregation and racial discrimination in the United States.