Judicial review empowers which court with the authority to interpret laws?

Judicial review is a significant principle established by the Supreme Court of the United States, particularly emphasized in the landmark case Marbury v. Madison in 1803. This principle grants the Supreme Court the authority to interpret the Constitution and overturn laws or government actions that are found to be unconstitutional. The Supreme Court acts as the ultimate arbiter of constitutional interpretation, ensuring that legislative and executive actions align with the Constitution.

While other courts, like U.S. District Courts and State Supreme Courts, do have the capacity to interpret the law and apply it within their jurisdictions, they do not have the same broad authority as the U.S. Supreme Court. State Supreme Courts interpret state constitutions and laws, but their reach does not extend to overriding federal laws or actions, which remains squarely in the domain of the Supreme Court. Therefore, the specific empowerment of judicial review, particularly in a federal context, is focused solely on the Supreme Court of the United States.