How does the judicial branch affect me?

The judicial branch affects us in several ways. The judicial branch is the branch of our government that interprets the meaning of our laws.

The judicial branch impacts us because it protects us from laws that might violate the Constitution. When a court is asked to review a law, it must determine if the law is constitutional, meaning that it doesn’t violate the principles of the Constitution. You may be attending a school that is or was under a court order to desegregate. For many years, the courts ruled that separate but equal public facilities were legal. However, in 1954, in the Brown v Board of Education case, the Supreme Court ruled that separate but equal schools were illegal. Many schools were then ordered to desegregate.

The judicial branch also hears certain cases. You may be asked to be a juror for a court case. This is one of the responsibilities of being a citizen. The judicial branch will also determine what the punishment is for a person who broke the law. It may determine the damages a person has to pay if that person has harmed another person in some way. It may also determine if a person has to go to jail for breaking a law and for how long.

The judicial branch plays a very important role in our lives.