constitutional review
Court examines laws
Constitutional review is the process by which courts examine laws or government actions to determine whether they comply with a constitution.
In many countries, a supreme or constitutional court has authority to strike down legislation that violates constitutional provisions: The law was invalidated after constitutional review.
The scope and power of constitutional review varies widely—some systems allow any court to review constitutionality, while others reserve this function for specialized tribunals.
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- supreme courtApex of judicial hierarchy
- high courtSuperior judicial body
- judicial oversightCourts monitoring other branches
- court rulingJudicial decision on case
landmark ruling · judicial activism · fundamental rights · bill of rights · originalism · separation of powers · textualism · Marbury v. Madison · judicial restraint · democratic accountability · legislature · checks and balances · judicial branch · executive branch · precedent-setting · legal scholars · judiciary · equality before the law
constitutional reviewlegislative debate
Formal lawmaker discourse
constitutional reviewadministrative review
Official reconsideration of decisions
constitutional reviewauthoritarianism
Concentrated, unchecked governmental power
constitutional, constitution, constitute, constituted, constituting, constitutive, constituent, constituents, constitutions