Explain the practice and importance of judicial review

Must define the term in the question. The Supreme Court has the power to declare actions of the executive, Acts of Congress, acts or actions of state governments and treaties, unconstitutional. However, judicial review is not mentioned explicitly in the US Constitution. Case study: Marbury v Madison in 1803, as the first recognised occasion when the Supreme Court exercised the power of judicial review.

The Supreme Court is able to hear cases either on appeal or (in limited circumstances) as the original court, which challenges either the actions of politicians and officials or even Acts of Congress. Can compare with judicial review in the UK. In effect, the US Supreme Court can rule an action or Act as unconstitutional and strike it down. Give examples. Most of the cases heard by the Supreme Court are not politically controversial. Furthermore, the extent to which the Court extends into the political world depends on the prevailing judicial philosophy of the time.