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Simple English definitions for legal terms
sovereign power
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A quick definition of sovereign power:
Sovereign power is the ability to make and enforce laws. It is the power that a person or group of people have to influence the activities of the government. This power is absolute and uncontrolled within its own sphere, meaning that it cannot be prevented or annulled by any other power recognized within the constitutional system. It is the highest power in the land and is not subject to external control. Subordinate power, on the other hand, is subject to external control because there exists some superior constitutional power that can prevent, restrict, direct, or annul its operation.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Sovereign power is the power to make and enforce laws. It is the political power vested in a person or body of persons exercising any function of the state. It is the capacity to influence the activities of the body politic. Sovereign power is absolute and uncontrolled within its own sphere. Within its designated limits, its exercise and effective operation do not depend on, and are not subject to, the power of any other person and cannot be prevented or annulled by any other power recognized within the constitutional system.
Examples:
- The President of the United States has sovereign power to make executive orders and enforce laws within the limits of the Constitution.
- The Queen of England has sovereign power over the United Kingdom, which means she has the final say in matters of state.
- The Supreme Court of the United States has sovereign power to interpret the Constitution and make decisions that are binding on all lower courts.
These examples illustrate how sovereign power is the highest form of political power within a given system. It is not subject to external control and is the ultimate authority in matters of state.