Which mechanism allows the judiciary to limit the actions of the other branches?

• A. Presidential veto
• B. Impeachment by Congress
• C. Judicial review
• D. Executive orders

Answer: (C)

Judicial review is the power of the courts to examine laws and government actions and declare them unconstitutional. This gives the judiciary a direct way to limit what the other branches can do: if Congress or the President takes an action that clashes with the Constitution, the courts can strike it down, preserving the limits the Constitution sets on government power. The authority was established in Marbury v. Madison, which held that courts can judge the constitutionality of laws and executive actions. The other options involve checks by other branches on each other, but they don’t grant the courts the final say to invalidate actions on constitutional grounds.