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THE JUDICIAL BRANCH: THE SUPREME COURT

Now to continue the tour, and so make it official,

We have branch number three, the one called judicial.

Our nation’s top court, it is titled Supreme

And interprets our laws (what they do and don’t mean).

Like a ref or umpire, who must say what’s in-bounds,

They know all the rules and give thumbs up or thumbs down.

But it’s no walk in the park, no gimme or cinch:

It takes years of learning to sit on that bench.

Whose nine women and men are chosen for life

So their judgments are free from political strife.

As they’ve no fear they’ll be fired or forced to one side

By powerful people when they need to decide.

Of course, they can be impeached for committing a crime,

Or else be removed if they go mad for a time.

But true fairness, we hope, will escort their thoughts

When cases are heard and judgments are brought.

(Yes, the sight of a judge, one must really confess,

Is a sure-fire laugh when it’s a man in a dress.

But if their black robes don’t fit or match with their shoes:

It’s best not to giggle, if you’ve something to lose!)

And Justice John Marshall, when named to this court,

Set forth its key role, in a most famous report.

When he ruled in the case Marbury v. Madison

That a law newly made they needed to jettison!

And folks did agree that the laws should be checked

To make sure The Constitution they do always respect.

So our courts ever since have this job to do:

To check the rightness of acts through judicial review.

Which means any odd laws which do run afoul

Are crossed off the books as un-constitutional.

And thus keeping alert to any mis-use of might,

Branch three of our group holds the others in sight…