judicial reviewnoun
uk/dʒuːˌdɪʃ.əl rɪˈvjuː//dʒuːˌdɪʃ.əl rɪˈvjuː/specialized[ C or U ] (in the UK) the process in which a decision made by a government department or other public organization is examined by a court of law to decide whether it was right or not:
Decisions made by public bodies may be subject to judicial review.
There will be a judicial review of the Environment Department's decision to give planning permission for a new superstore on the site.
[ U ] (in the US) the process by which the Supreme Court decides whether something can be allowed according to the Constitution (= the set of political principles by which the United States is governed):
One of the Court's most fundamental powers is judicial review – the power to judge the constitutionality of any act or law of the executive or legislative branch.