judicial review

noun

1
2
: a constitutional doctrine that gives to a court system the power to annul legislative or executive acts which the judges declare to be unconstitutional

Examples of judicial review in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The city’s methodology for valuing co-ops and condos is currently under judicial review in pending litigation, underscoring how unsettled these issues remain. Martha E. Stark, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026 There is no warrant requirement, no judicial review of individual requests, and no statutory bar on presidential direction of unmasking for political purposes. Patrick Eddington, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026 Reshelve the titles that a federal court ruled were wrongly removed and apply the legal standard that survived judicial review — Florida’s already-existing obscenity laws. Jacob Crainic, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026 In an 8-1 decision, the court found the ban regulates speech based on viewpoint and sent the case back to a lower appeals court to reassess its ruling using strict scrutiny, the highest standard of judicial review for issues related to the First Amendment. Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for judicial review

Word History

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of judicial review was in 1771

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Cite this Entry

“Judicial review.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/judicial%20review. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

Legal Definition

judicial review

noun
1
: review
2
: a constitutional doctrine that gives to a court system the power to annul legislative or executive acts which the judges declare to be unconstitutional
also : the process of using this power see also checks and balances, Marbury v. Madison

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