Final answer:
The effect of a Supreme Court decision can be to reinforce the court's authority, overturn legal precedents, ratify constitutional amendments, or expand individual rights, based on the specific context and the nature of the case.
Step-by-step explanation:
The effect of the Supreme Court decision described might vary depending on the context of the decision. Generally, Supreme Court decisions can have several impacts, such as reinforcing the authority of the court (Apex court's authority reinforced), overturning legal precedents, leading to expansions of individual rights, or in some instances, they might result in the nullification of federal laws that reach beyond the scope of the Constitution. A landmark case like Marbury v. Madison set the precedent for judicial review, which enables the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution and invalidate laws that are found to be unconstitutional, thereby reinforcing the court's authority and potentially expanding individual rights.
In the context of the headline provided, if the decision resulted in an expansion of individual rights, we could assume that decision has broadened the scope of civil liberties. Supreme Court decisions, as shown in Table 13.1, have historically made such extensions possible through landmark rulings, interpreting the Bill of Rights and applying its protections to the states. These decisions have often filled gaps when other branches of government have been unwilling or unable to act, thereby ensuring the defense of the Constitution as emphasized by Hamilton in Federalist No. 78.