After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

• 9.1 Explain how the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review was established.
• 9.2 Identify characteristics of the three eras of judicial review exercised by the Court.
• 9.3 Describe the structure of the federal judiciary.
• 9.4 Relate the judicial decision-making process.
• 9.5 Discuss the Supreme Court’s place in the separation of powers and the role of principal-agent theory.
• 9.6 Assess to what extent the Supreme Court’s judicial review is checked by other branches of the government.