I believe that the decision making power in this country stems from the Judiciary Branch. They have a lot of power that can go against or for the will of the people. One aspect of this power is judicial review. It is the right of the federal courts to void laws and acts that are in conflict with Constitution, even if Congress and the executive branch have approved them. .
There are two kinds of law in affect today, civil law and criminal law. Civil law is the body of rules defining relationships among private citizens and consists of both statues and the accumulated customary law embodied in judicial decisions. Criminal law is the body of laws defining offenses that, though they harm an individual, are considered to be offenses against society as a whole and therefore warrant punishment is in the name of society. On the front of the Supreme Court building it states, "Equal Justice Under Law". This statement and, "Justice is Blind", are the quotes that the judges have to keep foremost in their minds when they are trying a case. .
The judicial branch is a very powerful and demanding branch of our government. Since most disputes have to be handled in an orderly fashion by a court system, the judge can vote however he decides. Many important historical decisions have been made by the court system of the United States. Cases concerning slavery, women's rights, and civil rights have all influenced the way we live today. Even today, the Supreme Court is making decisions for the next president. Since the judicial system has the power of judicial review, it has the power to rule against anything that has been passed by Congress. This fact alone puts the judicial system above the other branches of government. .
The Supreme Court consists of eight associate justices and one chief justice. Congress created two kinds of lower federal courts to handle cases that cannot be decided by the Supreme Court. These courts are constitutional and legislative courts.