- Explain how the separation of powers and the system of checks
and balances affect government
power.

The governmental concept of the separation of powers was incorporated into the U.S. Constitution to ensure that no single person or branch of the government could ever become too powerful. It is enforced through a series of checks and balances.

Specifically, the system of checks and balances is intended to make sure that no branch or department of the federal government is allowed to exceed its bounds, guard against fraud, and allow for the timely correction of errors or omissions. Indeed, the system of checks and balances acts as a sort of sentry over the separated powers, balancing the authorities of each branch of government. In practical use, the authority to take a given action rests with one department, while the responsibility to verify the appropriateness and legality of that action rests with another.

a)the court decides which cases it will hear