If the Supreme Court had declined to assert its power of judicial review, it would have meant that the Court decided not to exercise its authority to interpret and determine the constitutionality of laws.
Related terms
Judicial Review: The power of the Supreme Court (and other courts) to declare laws or actions unconstitutional.
Checks and Balances: The system in which each branch of government has powers that can limit or balance out the powers of other branches.
Constitutional Interpretation: The process of analyzing and understanding the meaning and intent behind the words in the Constitution.