What powers does the Constitution give to the federal courts?
They are not really powers like the president or Congress has so much as the authority to hear certain types of cases. The power of judicial review (to review the constitutionality of federal and state laws) is not in the Constitution and originates from the precedent set in Marbury v. Madison See Article III Section 2… The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority;–to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls;–to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction;–to controversies to which the United States shall be a party;–to controversies between two or more states;–between a state and citizens of another state;–between citizens of different states;–between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states, and between a state, or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizen
