Which body holds the power of judicial review in the United States?

• A. The Supreme Court
• B. The Senate
• C. The President
• D. The House of Representatives

Answer: (A)

Judicial review is the power to examine laws and government actions to decide whether they fit the Constitution. In the United States, that authority sits with the judiciary, and the Supreme Court serves as the final arbiter on constitutional questions. This authority was established by Marbury v. Madison, and it allows the Court to strike down laws or executive actions that violate the Constitution. The Senate, the House, and the President create and enforce laws, but they do not have the power to unilaterally declare laws unconstitutional; constitutional interpretation and the final determination of validity rest with the courts, culminating in the Supreme Court.