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Judicial Review Essay

499 Words2 Pages

Opponents of judicial review have long held that it is not an expressed power written in the Constitution. In Article III, Section I of the Constitution it says "The judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court..." Here, the Constitution is giving judicial power to a supreme court (and inferior courts as the section continues). In Article III, section II of the Constitution it says, "The judicial Power [given to the Supreme Court in section I] shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;" The Constitution does not specifically give judges the power to issue judgments or hold someone in contempt. The same way it does not specifically grant judges the power of judicial review. Yet, no one argues these are not powers of a judge. When the Constitution was written it is well known that Americans understood that judicial review was part of the process. In Federalist #78 Hamilton states, "The interpretation of the laws is the proper and peculiar province of the courts. A constitution is, in fact, and must be regarded by the judges, as a …show more content…

When there is any disparity between this 'supreme law' and a statute, the Constitution prevails. More, though, it binds the judges of "every state" to give federal law preference. If it gives state judges the power of judicial review, why would it not give federal judges the power of judicial

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