Lady Justice's blindfold, sword, and scale are reminders that justice should be administered in an impartial, firm, and balanced manner.

"You can't do that. I know my rights!"

"I'm going to take this all the way to the Supreme Court!"

These cliché sentences reflect a core American belief: citizens of the United States can seek redress through the judicial system.

But how do courts protect citizen rights?

How does a case even get to the Supreme Court? How are basic rights preserved? Where do citizens go when freedoms, rights, or equality is threatened? Does justice prevail?

Throughout history, the American people have gone to the courts, seeking justice. The court system, then, is a cornerstone of democracy in the United States.

Justice Is Blind

The Constitution of the United States establishes the judicial branch and defines many of the rights the judiciary protects.

Members of Congress, state governors, and the president must always worry about elections and popular opinion. As a result, they may lose sight of the need to preserve American values, and they sometimes set hasty or unjust policies.

Under the guidance of constitutional principles, the courts serve as watchdogs for the other branches of government. Without the justice system, democracy might easily veer off course.

Is Justice Blind?

Does the American justice system always work? In 1966, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was convicted of a triple murder he did not commit. He spent almost 20 years in prison, losing his family ties and a promising career in boxing.

Other critics of the judicial system cite statistics they believe to be evidence of racial and social discrimination. For example, a disproportionate number of prisoners are young, African American, and male.

Legal defense lawyers for the poor are sometimes criticized for being incompetent or apathetic. Cases in both federal and state courts are often backed up for years, making a mockery of "the right to a speedy public trial" as guaranteed by AMENDMENT VI of the Bill of Rights.

Congress and the president are often at loggerheads over appointments of FEDERAL JUDGES. Because the Republicans don't like a Democratic president's nominees (and vice versa), judgeships stay vacant for months, sometimes years.

Judge for Yourself

This federal courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts, won a Federal Design Achievement Award in 2000 for expressing the solemn, dignified, and open nature of the United States judicial branch.

Freedom of speech has been protected, whether the speaker has been a critic of unjust government policy or a burner of the American flag.

SEGREGATION of public facilities ended partly because brave people took their cases to court. Freedom of religion interpretations have banned involuntary school prayer, preserving the separation of church and state, while stirring up criticisms that the Judeo-Christian heritage on which the nation was founded is slowly being eroded.

Although the wheels of JUSTICE often grind slowly, judges' decisions are usually the final word in interpreting basic constitutional principles. Almost from its beginning, the American judicial system has played a major role in defining and preserving freedom, equality, and justice.

Don't believe it? Read on and judge for yourself.

Landmark Supreme Court Cases Instructions: Match the elements on the left with the elements on the right. Click on the target next to an element in the left column, then drag a line to its counterpart in the right column. Correctly matched elements will turn green in color, and the line between them will stick. If the elements don't match, the line will disappear and you'll have to try again! Click Here!