分权制衡:从两起典型案例解析美国最高法院司法权的政治性

Separation of powers and checks and balances:on the poiitical attribute of American Supreme Court's judicial power

无论何种形式的司法权,都是在一定的政治架构下进行的制度配置,从这个意义上说,司法权都具有相应的政治性。美国是典型的分权制国家,司法系统是当今美国社会的重要权力中心之一。本文通过两个典型案件的对比揭示了美国最高法院司法权的政治性,并结合美国的分权体制、联邦法官的选择程序及其他政治因素分析了这种司法政治的成因。在美国那种极为敏感的多元主义政治模式下,美国法院系统决不可能超然于政治系统之外。

Any kind of judicial power is an allocation of institution within a certain political frame. In this sense, the judicial power has its political attribute. The United States of America is a typical country based on separation of powers. Judiciary is one of the important power branches in American Society. This article reveals the po- litical attribute of American Supreme Court＇ s judicial power through two typical cases. It also analyses the causes of judicial politics connecting with the system of separation of powers, the election process of Federal Court＇ s judges and other political elements. American judiciary cannot detach itself from the political system within the sensitive political model of pluralism.