The amendment would not only define marriage as being between a man and a woman, but would also prevent courts from requiring that states allow civil unions.

In 2006 Sodrel introduced a bill that would prevent federal courts from ruling on the content of speech in state legislatures.

He noted that one of the principal aims of the doctrine is to prevent courts from deciding questions "where the harm is too vague."

Proponents of the plain meaning rule claim that it prevents courts from taking sides in legislative or political issues.

It prevents national courts applying Article 85 (but not Article 86) to concentrations.

Prohibition is also generally limited to appellate courts, who use it to prevent lower courts from exceeding their jurisdiction.

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, former foreign secretary and current chairman of the ISC, said the suggested new powers would not prevent courts from considering intelligence material.

Most often, these courts issue writs of prohibition to prevent lower courts from exceeding their jurisdiction.

One provision would prevent federal courts from reviewing convictions in a large number of capital cases.