Which constitutional principle allows the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution?

The principle that allows the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution is judicial review. This concept emerged from the landmark case Marbury v. Madison in 1803, where Chief Justice John Marshall articulated the authority of the Court to strike down laws and executive actions that are inconsistent with the Constitution. Judicial review empowers the judiciary to act as a safeguard against legislative and executive overreach, ensuring that the fundamental rights and principles enshrined in the Constitution are upheld.

In contrast, the other principles, while important to the functioning of the government, do not specifically pertain to the Court’s authority to interpret the Constitution. Separation of powers divides government responsibilities among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to prevent the concentration of power. Checks and balances involves the mechanisms through which each branch can monitor and limit the actions of the others, ensuring no one branch becomes too powerful. Federalism describes the distribution of power between the national and state governments. Each of these concepts supports the structure of governance but does not grant the judicial branch the specific power to interpret the Constitution, which is distinctly defined by judicial review.