Judicial review is a part of UK constitutional law that enables people to challenge the exercise of power, usually by a public body. A person who contends that an exercise of power is unlawful may apply to the Administrative Court (a part of the King's Bench Division of the High Court) for a decision. If the court finds the decision unlawful it may have it set aside (quashed) and possibly (but rarely) award damages. A court may impose an injunction upon the public body.
When creating a public body, legislation will often define duties, limits of power, and prescribe the reasoning a body must use to make decisions. These provisions provide the main parameters for the lawfulness of its decision-making. The Human Rights Act 1998 provides that statutes must be interpreted so far as possible, and public bodies must act, in a manner which is compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. There are common law constraints on the decision-making process of a body.
Unlike in some other jurisdictions, such as the United States, English law does not permit judicial review of primary legislation (laws passed by Parliament), even where primary legislation is contrary to EU law or the European Convention on Human Rights. A person wronged by an Act of Parliament therefore cannot apply for judicial review if this is the case, but may still argue that a body did not follow the Act.
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