What is judicial review?

• A. A challenge to the justice system's performance.
• B. A procedure for appealing any court decision.
• C. A process to review the lawfulness of a decision by a public body.
• D. A type of court proceeding in which a judge reviews the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public body.

Answer: (D)

Judicial review is a formal court process used to check that a public body acted within the law and followed proper procedures. It’s not about re‑deciding the merits of a case or challenging the overall performance of the justice system; instead, it focuses on legality and the proper exercise of power by public authorities.

The best description is the one that frames it as a court proceeding in which a judge reviews the lawfulness of a decision or action by a public body. That distinction matters because other options describe appealing decisions on their outcomes or merely reviewing the public body’s process in a non‑judicial way. Judicial review aims to ensure actions are authorized by law, procedurally fair, and not irrational, rather than to substitute the court’s own view on what the outcome should have been.