First amendment Essays - Supreme Court, United States Constitution

First amendment Essays - Supreme Court, United States Constitution First amendment Reflections on the First Amendment The first amendment to the United States Constitution states that no law can be made to create a national religion, or imped the free practice of any or no religion. It also states that no one can infringe on the freedom of speech, freedom of press, and that no one can interfere with the right to peaceably assemble. This paper will cover the rights of privacy the first amendment protects, why so many cases need to be interpreted by the Supreme Court, and how those decisions made by the Supreme Court affect the rights of Americans today. Rights of Privacy. The United States Constitution was written to be an instruction guide for what America?s government can do, not what the American citizens can do. The Constitution does not clearly express any right to privacy. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of the Rights, reflects the concerns brought up during the ratification process of the Constitution, specifically reflected the rights and privileges of the American citizen. Amendment rights are not always protected. The notable court case of Garcetti v. Ceballos questioned the privacy of an employee, in which the Supreme Court decided ?When public employees make statements pursuant to their official duties, they are not speaking as citizens for First Amendment purposes, and the Constitution does not insulate their communications from employer discipline? (Garcettu v. Ceballos, 2006).It is clear from the Constitution that the Post Office was established to keep correspondence private and not to be opened by anyone except the recipien t, but the envisioned right to privacy is still very debatable. In the fourth amendment citizens are protected from any reasonable searches and seizers, but in recent years airport scans, wiretapping, and many other means to protect American citizens are put to the test of what is the right of privacy. Supreme Court. The Constitution?s Article III established the federal judiciary that would serve as a check of power to the executive and legislature but also as a national institution that could settle disputes among states and try to unify the laws of America. The Supreme Court?s most important power was not part of the Constitution. In the case Marbury v. Madison in 1803 where Chief Justice, and Federalist, John Marshall set the precedence for the Supreme Courts power of judicial review. Judicial review gave the Court the right to review and take action against any legislation; local, state, or federal, and deem it unconstitutional. Congress later created the lower courts to ease the burden of the Supreme Court. The lower courts consist of the United States District Court, the United States Court of Appeals. With only a fraction of cases heard by the Supreme Court these lower courts have tremendous power over how laws are interpreted. The Supreme Court clears up matters where the lower courts ca nnot agree or by exhausting the lower court?s rulings. The Supreme Court changes with the American people. New appointments to the Court by new presidents and the temperament of the American public make a difference in how the Constitution is interpreted. The Supreme Court has reversed or drastically changed around 40 cases in its history. Rights of citizens. When the Supreme Court hears a case and makes their ruling, a precedent is set. The Court works toward a balance of the rights of the individual and the needs of society at large. When the Court issues a ruling the rights of all American citizens are changed or clarified. These rulings also affect all courts, previously laws passed, and being create. The most recent ruling from the Supreme Court is met with mix emotions. For six years the various states have tried to put laws into effect regarding violent video games, and each time these have been taken to court, they have lost. June 27, 2011, the Supreme Court ruled in agreement with the lower courts that such laws are unconstitutional restrictions on the first amendment. ?If there were a longstanding tradition in this county of specially restricting children?s access to depictions of violence, but there is none? (Justice Alito, 2011). This ruling is upsetting to those that feel these types of games should not be marketed to childre n, but precedence has been