The United States has a system of checks and balances. This means no single person has complete power over laws and rulings within the country, not even the president. Supreme Court rulings are the final decision regarding whether laws and acts are constitutional, meaning they have major impact on the country at large. At times, members of the US Supreme Court stand in opposition to a sitting president and may rule against that president if they deem it necessary. These are often controversial rulings that lead to debate and disagreement along partisan lines. Times the Supreme Court disagreed with the president often led to dramatic changes in the power structure of our government.



Presidents who lost to the Supreme Court reacted in different ways. While some rulings were quietly accepted, others were challenged or outright ignored. Regardless of how a single president reacted, however, president versus Supreme court rulings have long lasting effects that reach well beyond term limits. Therefore, it's important to be educated about when and why various presidents clashed with the Judicial Branch to more fully understand the implications of the US Constitution.