Checks and Balances

The mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches.

- President can veto acts of Congress
- President can call a special session of Congress
-President carries out, and thereby interprets, laws passed by Congress.
- Vice president casts tie-breaking

-President nominates Supreme Court justices
- President nominates federal judges
- President can pardon those convicted in federal court
- President can refuse to enforce the court's decisions

-Congress can override presidential veto
- Congress can impeach and remove president
- Senate can reject president's appointments and refuse to ratify treaties
- Congress can conduct investigations into president's actions
-Congress can refuse to pass laws or provide funding that president requests

-Congress can change size of federal court system and number of Supreme Court justices
- Congress can propose constitutional amendments
- Congress can reject Supreme Court nominees
- Congress can impeach and remove federal judges
-Congress can amend court jurisdictions
-Congress controls appropriations

- Court can declare executive actions unconstitutional.
- Court has the power to issue warrants.
- Chief Justice presides over impeachment of president.

- Court can declare laws unconstitutional
- Chief Justice presides over Senate during hearing to impeach the president.