A diagram of the United States government's system of checks and balances. The executive branch can balance the judicial branch by appointing judges to fill vacancies and granting reprieves and pardons. The judicial branch can check the executive branch in that it can rule presidential actions unconstitutional and the judges appointed by the president serve for life. The executive branch can balance the legislative branch because the president is the commander in chief and he or she can veto bills, recommend legislation, and call special sessions of Congress. The legislative branch can check the executive branch because it can override the presidential veto, control appropriations, ratify treaties, declare war, refuse presidential appointments, and impeach and remove the president from office. The legislative branch can balance the judicial branch because it can refuse judicial appointments, it has the authority to impeach judges, it can create lower courts, and it can propose constitutional amendments to overrule Supreme Court decisions. The judicial branch can check the legislative branch in that it interprets laws and may declare laws unconstitutional.