Step #4: What is
the existing policy?
Judicial
The judicial branch interprets the laws. It consists of courts at the
three levels of government. Examples include:
- local government - trial courts
- state government - state court of appeals
- national government - United States Supreme Court
Judges at all three levels interpret the laws. How the judges interpret
the laws can affect public policies. The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest
court. The nine Supreme Court justices may decide a law violates part of
our United States Constitution. That law would then be unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court decision would totally change an existing law or public
policy.
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