How does judicial review contribute to the system of checks and balances?

• A. It clarifies the powers of the President to enforce laws.
• B. It prevents courts from reviewing legislative acts.
• C. It allows courts to strike down laws or executive actions that violate the Constitution, limiting other branches.
• D. It assigns budgetary decisions to the courts.

Answer: (B)

Judicial review provides a check on the other branches by allowing courts to interpret the Constitution and review laws and executive actions for constitutional alignment. When a law or action conflicts with the Constitution, the courts can strike it down or require changes, which limits the power of both the legislative and the executive branches and protects individual rights. This restraint is what keeps the system of government balanced: no one branch can exceed its constitutional authority. The idea is not about enforcing presidential powers, nor is it about preventing court review of legislation or assigning budgets; those roles lie elsewhere. The essential point is that judicial review acts as a constitutional safeguard by upholding the supremacy of the Constitution and checking overreach.