Congress and the Courts

The Ultimate Simulation:  The Stanford Prison Experiment








What happens when the court declares a law unconstitutional?

Statutory interpretation (Davidson 355-357): special ed cases


Checks on the Judiciary

Court-stipping (Davidson, 358-59) and Patchak v. Zinke

Impeachment:  most impeachment trials have involved judges

Court organization and administration

Constitutional amendments

• 11th -- lawsuits
• 13th -- slavery
• 16th -- income tax
• 26th -- voting age

US Courts of Appeal

Supreme Court nominations

• The modern era of SCOTUS fights started 50 years ago, with Fortas
• March 16, 1970: As the Senate is considering he nomination of Judge G. Harrold Carswell to fill the Fortas seat, Senator Roman Hruska (R-NE) says in a TV interview, "Even if he [Carswell] were mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren't they? We can't have all Brandeises and Frankfurters and Cardozos."