Civics question 51 of 128

What does the judicial branch do?

4 accepted answers

Reviews laws
Explains laws
Resolves disputes (disagreements) about the law
Decides if a law goes against the (U.S.) Constitution

You only need to give one of these. The officer accepts any of them.

Source: official USCIS question list for the 2025 version of the civics test. This site is independent and not affiliated with USCIS.

Background

The judicial branch reviews laws, explains laws, resolves disputes about the law, and decides whether a law goes against the Constitution; any one of those answers the question. The last of them, judicial review, is the most consequential and appears nowhere in the constitutional text. The Supreme Court claimed it in Marbury v. Madison in 1803, holding that a court asked to apply a statute conflicting with the Constitution must follow the Constitution. Courts do not act on their own initiative. They decide cases brought by parties with a real dispute, which means an unconstitutional statute can stand for years until someone with standing challenges it. Nor do courts enforce their own rulings; compliance depends on the executive branch, and that dependence is a genuine limit on judicial power.

This background section is written by US Citizenship Test Practice to explain the civics fact. It is not part of the USCIS question list, and the official answer above is the one to give at the interview.

Where this question sits

It is part of System of Government, inside the American Government section of the test.

What does the judicial branch do?

Background

Where this question sits

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