When it comes to passing legislation, both chambers of Congress must pass the bill with a majority vote. The President then has the option to sign the bill …show more content…
The courts alone have the power to interpret the law, which is called jurisdiction. However, their jurisdictional power is restricted to federal and constitutional laws. When the courts make a decision in cases regarding interpretation of the law, it is called precedent. The lower courts must follow the precedent placed by the Supreme Court. Citizens who wish to have their case reviewed by the Supreme Court must appeal to the Court for a writ of certiorari. Typically the Court will hear the case if four of the nine justices decide that they should. The Supreme Court rarely holds trials; the Court’s duty is to interpret laws and decide how they should be enforced. For example, the Supreme Court ruled to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide in their landmark Obergefell v. Hodges case after studying the Fourteenth