The balance of power in contemporary states suggests that the legislative, judicial, and executive branches check one another to prevent the concentration of power. However, the rise of executiveive leaders seeking unchecked power has challenged the role of courts as central actors of this balance. Drawing from literature and cases from the U.S., Latin America, and the international human rights system, this course analyzes the role of courts at both the national and international levels, the structural problems of the judicial system, the multiple constraints judges face in doing their job, the biases in judicial behavior, and the causes and consequences of non-compliance with judicial decisions.