Overrule
Definition
To overrule means to reject or invalidate (a decision) by exercising higher authority. In terms of court decisions, it means one court declaring that a previous decision made by an equal or lower court was incorrect.
Analogy
Overruling is like a teacher correcting a student's wrong answer on a test. The teacher, having higher authority and knowledge, can declare the student's answer incorrect.
Related terms
Appeal: A request made to a higher court to review the decision made by a lower court.
Judicial activism: When judges overrule precedents or interpret the Constitution in new ways, often based on personal or political considerations rather than existing law.
Reversal: This refers to an action of changing a decision, result, judgment, etc., to its opposite.
"Overrule" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (1)
- How can Congress overrule a Presidential veto?
Resources
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