The United States justice system was created when the Constitution was adopted in 1787. The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, which gave most of the power to individual states. The Constitution created a strong federal government to bring the states together to work for the good of the nation while balancing their rights to independence and autonomy. Our government's three branches-executive, legislative, and judicial-were designed to check abuses and prevent any one from gaining too much power and influence. The legislative branch creates the laws and the executive branch enforces them. Laws are put into practice by the justice system including the FBI, state justice systems, law enforcement bodies, and the trial system. This book explores the origins and evolution of the greatest democracy's system of justice.
