judicial scrutiny

Judicial scrutiny is the process courts use to evaluate laws or government actions to determine if they comply with the Constitution. When a law is challenged, the court applies different levels of scrutiny—like a legal "yardstick"—to assess whether the government has a valid reason for its action and if it respects individual rights. The level of scrutiny depends on the nature of the right involved or the classification affected. Higher levels of scrutiny require the government to provide strong justification, ensuring laws are fair, reasonable, and constitutional.