The Supreme Court has a special role to play in the United States system of government. The Constitution gives it the power to check, if necessary, the actions of the President and Congress.
It can tell a President that his actions are not allowed by the Constitution. It can tell Congress that a law it passed violated the U.S. Constitution and is, therefore, no longer a law. It can also tell the government of a state that one of its laws breaks a rule in the Constitution.
The Supreme Court is the final judge in all cases involving laws of Congress, and the highest law of all — the Constitution.
I'd be sincerely interested to know where this above is incorrect.
Birdwatcher
It was much less clear cut before the Civil War. Only twice before the war did the SC rule laws unconstitutional. Further, states exercised the authority to ignore the Court. I give you the Fugitive Slave Act as an example. Northern states practiced nullification and refused to enforce the law, with several states making it a crime for their officers to aid in its enforcement despite the fact that it was a law passed by Congress and validated by the Supreme Court.
