AP U.S. Government and Politics Flashcards: Checks on the Judicial Branch
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
How can Congress use legislation to check the power of the Supreme Court?
Congress can pass legislation to modify the impact of a prior Supreme Court decision or enact laws that remove the court's jurisdiction over certain types of cases on appeal.
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How can Congress use legislation to check the power of the Supreme Court?
Congress can pass legislation to modify the impact of a prior Supreme Court decision or enact laws that remove the court's jurisdiction over certain types of cases on appeal.
What is the most powerful and permanent check on a Supreme Court decision?
The ratification of a Constitutional amendment is the most powerful check, as it can directly overturn a Supreme Court ruling and can only be altered by another amendment.
How can the executive branch or state governments limit the impact of a Supreme Court ruling without passing a new law?
The president and states can check the Supreme Court's power by delaying or only partially carrying out the implementation of a decision.
How do judicial appointments and confirmations serve as a check on the Supreme Court?
The President's appointments and the Senate's confirmations can shift the ideological balance of the court, thereby influencing the direction of its future rulings.
What does it mean for Congress to exercise 'jurisdiction stripping' over the Supreme Court?
This refers to Congress enacting legislation to limit the cases the Supreme Court can hear on appeal, effectively removing the court's jurisdiction over a specific legal issue.
If a president disagrees with a Supreme Court ruling, what long-term check can they exercise to influence future Court decisions?
The president can exercise a long-term check by using their power of judicial appointments to nominate justices who share their constitutional interpretation when a vacancy occurs.
How does the exercise of judicial review lead to debate about the Supreme Court's power?
The use of judicial review sparks debate over whether the Court is simply interpreting the law (restraint) or actively creating new policy by overturning precedent (activism), questioning the legitimate scope of its power.
What is judicial activism?
Judicial activism is the assertion that judicial review allows courts to overturn current Constitutional and case precedent or invalidate legislative or executive acts.
What is judicial restraint?
Judicial restraint is the assertion that judicial review should be constrained to decisions that adhere strictly to current Constitutional and case precedent.
Identify two ways the other branches of government can limit the Supreme Court's power.
Other branches can limit the Court's power through judicial appointments, passing legislation to modify a decision's impact, or ratifying a constitutional amendment.