The judicial branch of the U.S. government is made up of the Supreme Court and other federal courts established by Congress. Specifically, it includes:
- The Supreme Court , which is the highest court in the United States, consisting of nine justices (one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices) who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Supreme Court has the ultimate authority to interpret the Constitution and federal laws, and its decisions can only be changed by a later Supreme Court ruling or a constitutional amendment
- Lower federal courts , created by Congress, including:
- United States district courts , which are trial courts handling most federal cases.
- United States courts of appeals (13 appellate courts), which review cases appealed from the district courts to determine if the law was applied correctly
The judicial branch's primary role is to interpret laws, apply them to individual cases, and decide whether laws or actions violate the Constitution. This branch operates independently from the legislative and executive branches, providing a system of checks and balances within the federal government
. In summary, the judicial branch is composed of the Supreme Court at the top and a system of lower federal courts, all tasked with ensuring laws conform to the Constitution and resolving legal disputes.
