judicial review

American  

[joo-dish-uhl ri-vyoo] / dʒuˈdɪʃ əl rɪˈvju /

noun

1. the power of a court to adjudicate the constitutionality of the laws of a government or the acts of a government official.

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judicial review Cultural  

1. The principle by which courts can declare acts of either the executive branch or the legislative branch unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has exercised this power, for example, to revoke state laws that denied civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution. (See also checks and balances.)

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Etymology

Origin of judicial review

First recorded in 1920–25

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

judicial review

In 1974, the court held that an earlier statute restricting judicial review of veterans’ benefits decisions did not prevent federal district courts from hearing constitutional challenges to a law governing veterans’ benefits.

From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2026

The court service has now published the full 15 page judgement from the judicial review.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

The National Trust said earlier this month that the administration was "working around the clock in an attempt to outrace judicial review."

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

It was meant to create a pathway for the government to obtain meaningful judicial review in deportation cases while keeping its evidence secret.

From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026

But in 1790 the Supreme Court was a woefully weak third branch of the federal government and the principle of judicial review had yet to be established.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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