A Suprema Corte dos Estados Unidos entre o direito e a política: a corte suprema como instituição política fundamental

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the role played by the United States Supreme Court in the legal and political frame. From a legal institution, historically, the Supreme Court has played an important role in the formulation of national policies and the conduct of national public debate. For historical analysis of U.S. Law, it intends to show the differences and peculiarities of the U.S. Law versus to English law. Then, the judicial review`s history started in English Law, as the study of Edward Coke, and even in the American colonial history. Based on English common law, but with influences from civil law tradition, the American Law has developed its own institutions, able to face the challenges in the new country. Among the innovations, there is the United States Supreme Court, a member of the Federal Judiciary, which, however, plays an important political role in the respect of constitutional provisions, the harmonization between the powers and the States. In fact, the Court takes part of the national policies, thus it is an active voice in the national public deliberations, whereas the Court influenced and is influencing for the traditional political actors.