How did the Founding Fathers view the role of the judiciary in the US government?

The Founding Fathers of the United States had a clear vision of the role of the judiciary in the US government. They believed that the judiciary should be an independent and co-equal branch of government, with the power to interpret the law and ensure that the other branches of government did not exceed their constitutional authority.

One of the key figures in the founding of the American legal system was James Madison, who is often referred to as the 'Father of the Constitution'. Madison believed that an independent judiciary was essential to the success of the American experiment in self-government. In a famous essay, he wrote that the judiciary should be 'an impenetrable bulwark against every assumption of power in the legislative or executive'.

Other Founding Fathers shared this view. For example, Alexander Hamilton argued in the Federalist Papers that the judiciary was necessary to protect the Constitution from the 'encroachments and oppressions' of the other branches of government. And John Adams, the second President of the United States, wrote that the judiciary was 'the balance wheel of the government'.

The Constitution itself reflects the Founding Fathers' belief in the importance of an independent judiciary. Article III of the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court and gives Congress the power to create lower federal courts. The judges of these courts are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and they serve for life, subject to impeachment and removal by Congress.

Overall, the Founding Fathers saw the judiciary as a vital safeguard against tyranny and a key pillar of American democracy. Their vision of an independent judiciary has shaped the US legal system for over two centuries, and continues to play a critical role in the functioning of the US government today.