Which term describes the power of courts to interpret and apply laws?

Which term describes the power of courts to interpret and apply laws?

• A. Legislative
• B. Executive
• C. Judicial
• D. Administrative

Answer: (C)

The power to interpret and apply laws belongs to the judiciary—the branch that sits in the courts. Judges read statutes, interpret what they mean, and decide how they should be applied to real cases. They also resolve disputes between individuals, between states, and between citizens and the government, ensuring laws are understood and used consistently. This is different from the legislative branch, which makes laws, and the executive branch, which enforces them. The term judicial captures that court-centered, interpret-and-decide role, including how laws fit with the Constitution through the process of judicial review in many systems.

The power to interpret and apply laws belongs to the judiciary—the branch that sits in the courts. Judges read statutes, interpret what they mean, and decide how they should be applied to real cases. They also resolve disputes between individuals, between states, and between citizens and the government, ensuring laws are understood and used consistently.

This is different from the legislative branch, which makes laws, and the executive branch, which enforces them. The term judicial captures that court-centered, interpret-and-decide role, including how laws fit with the Constitution through the process of judicial review in many systems.