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Politics & Government vocabulary · Constitution, Courts and Rights

Judiciary

Meaning in politics & government, with examples

/dʒuˈdɪʃəri/nounCore term

In politics & government, judiciary means: The branch of the state made up of judges and courts, which interprets the law, settles disputes and decides whether laws and government actions are legal.

In Turkish: yargı, yargı erki

How it is used

Used with the. Discussions often focus on an independent judiciary, judicial independence and judicial review, which is the power of courts to check laws against the constitution. The adjective is judicial.

Example sentences

  1. An independent judiciary is one of the basic features of the rule of law.

  2. The report examines how members of the judiciary are appointed in different countries.

Common collocations

  • an independent judiciary
  • judicial independence
  • judicial review
  • members of the judiciary
  • constitutional courtA high court whose main job is to decide whether laws and government actions are in line with the constitution, and to cancel those that are not.
  • separation of powersThe principle that the legislative, executive and judicial powers of the state should be held by separate bodies, so that no single body becomes too powerful.
  • rule of lawThe principle that everyone, including the government and its officials, must obey the law, and that laws are applied fairly by independent courts.
  • executiveThe branch of government that puts laws into effect and runs the country day to day, made up of the head of government, ministers and their departments.
  • legislatureThe elected body with the power to make, change and repeal laws, such as a parliament, congress or national assembly.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Constitution, Courts and Rights

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