Judicial Review: Understanding Its Role and Importance
Judicial review is a critical mechanism within democratic legal systems, serving as a check on governmental powers to ensure that laws and administrative actions align with constitutional and legal standards. Through this process, courts have the authority to review and, if necessary, nullify laws, policies, or actions by government officials that are deemed unconstitutional or outside their lawful scope. This article will explore the purpose, process, and implications of judicial review and explain why it is essential to a functioning democracy. The Purpose of Judicial Review At its core, judicial review exists to uphold the rule of law, ensuring that no law or government action infringes on the rights and freedoms protected by a constitution. In democratic societies, a constitution often serves as the highest law, establishing the framework within which all other laws and policies operate. Judicial review allows courts, typically supreme or constitutional courts, to interpr...