Although the U.S. legislature is often associated with law-making powers, each of the three branches of government has a hand in law making. However, the methods with which these laws are developed vary greatly between and among the three branches. The legislative branch passes laws, while the executive branch reviews and either approves or vetoes them. If the executive branch proposes a law, it must be ratified through Congress before it becomes law. The judiciary reviews laws and makes rulings for the executive and legislative branches to enforce. When conducting legal research, you should be able to distinguish the roles of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches in law making and the legal documents they produce. This will help you locate and interpret legal documents from each branch.
The assignment:
- Compare the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government in terms of their roles in law making and the legal documents they produce.
- Explain at least one insight you had or conclusion you drew about the branches of government and legal research based on your comparison.