... criticisms of the court and its rulings through deciding whether to throw his/her weight behind a decision or criticise it openly Congress also has checks over the Supreme Court. Once the President has nominated people for seats on the court, Congress holds senate hearings in which they ask the nominee questions about themselves and their past etc. It used to be the case where this was just a rubber stamp exercise but increasingly the court is starting to reject people, an example is Robert Bork in 1987. Another check is Congress's power to decide how many justices sit on the court. Congress could, for example, decide to increase the number of justices obliging the president to make new appointments to balance out the judicial philosophy of the court. Congress also has the power of impeachment. Even the threat of impeachment can have a real effect. Justice Abe Fortas resigned in ...

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