Constitutional court

A court with authority to interpret a constitution and decide whether laws or government actions comply with it. Its jurisdiction and powers are established by a country’s constitutional system.

Constitutional review: The process of assessing whether laws or government actions conform to a constitution. This is the core power constitutional courts exercise when testing laws or official conduct.
Diffuse judicial review: A system in which courts generally may assess constitutionality while deciding ordinary cases. It contrasts with systems that reserve constitutional review to a specialized court.
Hans Kelsen: An Austrian jurist who developed influential theories of legal hierarchy and constitutional review. Kelsen designed the Austrian model of a specialized constitutional court.
Fundamental rights: Basic rights protected against unjustified interference, often through constitutional law. Rights claims are a major basis for constitutional complaints and review.
Constitutional supremacy: The principle that a constitution prevails over inconsistent ordinary laws and government acts. Constitutional court rulings enforce this hierarchy when legal rules conflict.
Abstract review: Constitutional review of a law without requiring a dispute about its application. Some constitutional courts can assess legislation before or apart from an individual case.
Supreme court: The highest court in a jurisdiction, often serving as a final appellate tribunal. Some countries assign constitutional review to their ordinary highest court instead of a separate tribunal.
Austrian Constitutional Court: Austria's specialized court for constitutional adjudication, established under the 1920 constitution. Its institutional design embodied Kelsen's model of centralized constitutional review.
Electoral dispute: A legal disagreement about election procedures, results, eligibility, or political representation. Constitutional courts may decide whether electoral rules or outcomes meet constitutional requirements.
Judicial independence: The ability of judges to decide cases without improper pressure from other actors. A court's capacity to constrain government depends on protection from political interference.

Linked from 14 pages