The Separation of Powers

Paper Summary:

The paper explains that the separation of powers doctrine of the US Constitution was intended to reduce the likelihood of tyrannical corruption of governmental power. The paper then looks at the "Morrison v. Olson" case that arose during the Reagan administration regarding whether the establishment of an independent counsel violated the fundamental principle of checks and balances.

Outline:
The Doctrine of Separation of Powers
Morrison v. Olson, 487 U.S. 654 (1988)

From the Paper:

"Separation of Powers is a doctrine enumerated by the United States Constitution that is a fundamental part of the structure of the U.S. government. However, in principle, it is a concept that long predated the American Revolution, or for that matter, the British Royal Crown whose oligarch icy inspired the formation of a democratic republic in the
New World. In fact, separation of governmental powers can be traced to ancient Rome (Friedman, 2005)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Dershowitz, A. (2002). Shouting Fire: Civil Liberties in a Turbulent Age. New York: Little Brown.
• Friedman, L. (2005). A History of American Law. New York: Touchstone.
• Hall, K. (Ed.) (1992). The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States. New York: Oxford University Press

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