Judicial
U.S. Naturalization Test (2025 Standard) glossary · Civics
Definition
The branch of judges and courts.
Judicial in plain English
"Judicial" refers to the branch of government made up of judges and courts — the part whose job is to interpret the laws and decide whether they've been broken or applied fairly. The U.S. splits its power into three branches so no single group has too much control: one makes the laws (Congress), one carries them out (the president), and the judicial branch settles disagreements about what the laws actually mean. Think of a referee in a game: the referee doesn't write the rules or play, but decides how the rules apply when there's a dispute. The Supreme Court sits at the top of this branch.
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