The Three Branches of

Government
The Judicial Branch
The judicial branch is the branch of the
government that judges the laws and
makes sure that they are used fairly.

The Supreme Court:

The Supreme Court is the head of the judicial branch and is the
largest court in the US. When people have questions or concerns about
the law, it is the job of the Supreme Court to explain the laws. Within the
Supreme Court, there is a chief justice, or head judge, and eight other
justices, or judges. These justices are chosen by the President and
approved by the Senate (a group of people in the legislative branch).
Justices are allowed to serve for life unless they choose to retire.
The Supreme Court is very important in making sure
that laws make sense, are fair, and are used correctly.
Over the course of US history, the Supreme Court has
determined some laws to be “unconstitutional.” This
means that the justices felt that a certain law did not
protect the rights of US citizens correctly or fairly.
When this happens, a law can be changed or removed,
if needed.

Smaller Courts:
There are also smaller courts that are found in states, towns, and
cities. These courts work to settle arguments between citizens or
determine if someone has broken a law. The leader of these smaller
courts is called a judge. There is also a group of people called a jury that
sit and watch the court sessions. The jury uses evidence to decide if a
person is innocent or guilty of a crime.

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 The Judicial Branch

REVIEW >>>
1. The head of the judicial branch is the _____________________________

2. What is the main responsibility of the judicial branch?

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3. What is the name of a person who serves on the Supreme Court?

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4. What does it mean for a law to be ruled “unconstitutional?”

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© 2017. The Classroom Nook. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.