The Courts

CLASS SupremeCourt:
  
  FUNCTION marbury_v_madison(1803):
    // Chief Justice Marshall's reasoning:
    
    premise_1 = "The Constitution is supreme law"
    premise_2 = "Laws contrary to Constitution are void"
    premise_3 = "Courts must decide cases under law"
    
    conclusion = "Courts must decide if laws 
                  violate Constitution"
    
    // This power is claimed, not granted
    self.power = "JUDICIAL_REVIEW"
    
  FUNCTION review_law(law):
    // Court decides if law violates Constitution
    // No appeal possible - they have final word
    
    IF this.majority_finds_unconstitutional(law):
      law.status = "VOID"
      // Congress cannot override
      // President cannot override
      // Only options:
      //   1. Constitutional amendment (2/3 + 3/4)
      //   2. Wait for Court to change its mind
      //   3. Change Court composition
      
// Current impact:
// - 9 unelected, lifetime-appointed judges
// - Final authority on constitutional meaning
// - Can overturn precedent at will (see: Dobbs 2022)

CLASS JudicialAppointment:
  
  constitutional_process = {
    nomination: "President nominates",
    confirmation: "Senate advises and consents",
    term: "Lifetime ('during good Behaviour')"
  }
  
  // What the Founders likely expected:
  expected_dynamics = {
    nominations: "Qualified jurists",
    confirmation: "Relatively routine",
    term_length: "~10-15 years (shorter lifespans)"
  }
  
  // Modern reality:
  actual_dynamics = {
    nominations: "Ideologically vetted by party groups",
    confirmation: "Partisan warfare",
    term_length: "30-40+ years (longer lifespans)",
    strategic_retirement: "Time exit for allied president"
  }

FUNCTION strategic_retirement(justice):
  // Justices choose when to leave
  current_president = get_president()
  
  IF justice.ideology ALIGNS_WITH current_president:
    IF justice.age > 70 OR justice.health DECLINING:
      CONSIDER retirement  // Lock in successor
  ELSE:
    // Hold seat as long as possible
    // Wait for aligned president
    // Even if it means dying on bench

// Examples:
// - RBG (D) died under Trump, replaced by Barrett (R)
// - Kennedy (swing) retired under Trump, replaced by Kavanaugh (R)
// - Breyer (D) retired under Biden, replaced by Jackson (D)

CLASS ShadowDocket:
  // Emergency applications and stays
  
  traditional_process = {
    briefing: "Months of written arguments",
    oral_argument: "Public hearing",
    opinion: "Full written reasoning",
    timeline: "9-12 months typical"
  }
  
  shadow_docket = {
    briefing: "Days or hours",
    oral_argument: "Usually none",
    opinion: "Often just 'GRANTED' or 'DENIED'",
    timeline: "Days, sometimes hours"
  }
  
  FUNCTION process_emergency(application):
    // Single justice can grant temporary relief
    // Full court can make permanent
    
    // But increasingly used for:
    major_policy_decisions = [
      "Block federal eviction moratorium (2021)",
      "Allow Texas abortion ban to take effect (2021)",
      "Block vaccine mandates (2022)",
      "Reinstate 'Remain in Mexico' policy (2021)"
    ]
    
    // Problem: No explanation of reasoning
    // No chance for amicus briefs
    // No public oral argument
    // Inconsistent with own precedents

STATISTICS:
  shadow_orders_1970s = ~5 per year
  shadow_orders_2020s = ~60+ per year
  // 12x increase in unexplained major decisions

CLASS FederalJudiciary:
  
  structure = {
    district_courts: {
      count: 94,
      judges: ~670,
      role: "Trial courts, find facts"
    },
    circuit_courts: {
      count: 13,
      judges: ~180,
      role: "Appeals, set circuit precedent"
    },
    supreme_court: {
      count: 1,
      judges: 9,
      role: "Final appellate, constitutional questions"
    }
  }
  
FUNCTION case_path(lawsuit):
  // Most cases end at district court
  // ~55,000 district court appeals per year
  
  circuit_decision = appeals_court.hear(appeal)
  // Most cases end here - SCOTUS denies ~99% of petitions
  
  IF supreme_court.grants_cert(petition):  // ~70 per year
    RETURN supreme_court.decide()
  ELSE:
    RETURN circuit_decision  // This IS final law
    
// Strategic implication:
// "Forum shopping" - file in favorable circuit
// Circuit splits create different law in different regions

TRUMP_JUDICIARY_EFFECT:
  judges_appointed = 234  // in 4 years
  circuit_judges = 54  // flipped multiple circuits
  percentage_of_judiciary = ~27%
  // Many will serve 30+ years

CLASS CourtReformProposals:
  
  OPTION term_limits:
    proposal = "18-year terms, staggered (2 per presidential term)"
    benefits = [
      "Predictable vacancies",
      "Reduced stakes per appointment",
      "End strategic retirement"
    ]
    obstacles = {
      constitutional: "May require amendment 
                      ('during good Behaviour')",
      workaround: "Rotate to lower courts after 18 years",
      political: "Party in power always opposes"
    }
    
  OPTION court_expansion:
    proposal = "Add justices (9 → 13, 15, etc.)"
    benefits = [
      "Clearly constitutional (Congress sets size)",
      "Could rebalance partisan tilt",
      "Historical precedent (changed 7 times)"
    ]
    obstacles = {
      legitimacy: "Seen as 'court packing'",
      escalation: "Other party would expand too",
      filibuster: "Requires 60 votes or rule change"
    }
    
  OPTION jurisdiction_stripping:
    proposal = "Remove SCOTUS jurisdiction over certain issues"
    benefits = [
      "Congress has power under Article III",
      "Simple majority (maybe)"
    ]
    obstacles = {
      constitutional: "Unclear if full stripping allowed",
      court_review: "SCOTUS would review the stripping itself",
      precedent: "Rarely used successfully"
    }
    
  OPTION ethics_code:
    proposal = "Binding code of conduct for justices"
    status = "2023: First code adopted (but self-enforced)"
    problem = "No enforcement mechanism"