What is an example of checks and balances?

• A. Courts declaring laws unconstitutional
• B. The President vetoing a bill
• C. Congress passing a law
• D. The President appointing judges to the Supreme Court

Answer: (A)

Judicial review—the idea that courts can interpret the Constitution and strike down laws or actions that violate it. When a court declares a law unconstitutional, it curbs legislative power by enforcing constitutional limits, ensuring that Congress can’t encroach on fundamental rights or constitutional principles. This check helps maintain a balance among the branches because laws must fit within the framework the Constitution sets. The concept was established through the principle that the courts interpret the Constitution and can nullify laws that conflict with it, preventing any branch from overrunning the others. While a presidential veto is also a check on Congress, the clearest example of checks and balances in action against a law is the judiciary’s power to invalidate it for constitutional reasons.