What does the term "checks and balances" refer to?

The term "checks and balances" refers to a system that is integral to the United States Constitution, designed to ensure that no single branch of government—executive, legislative, or judicial—can gain excessive power or act without oversight. Each branch has specific powers that can be exercised to check the actions of the others, maintaining a balance of power among them.

For example, the legislative branch has the authority to create laws, but the executive branch has the power to veto those laws. Conversely, the judiciary has the power to interpret laws and can declare them unconstitutional, which serves as a check on both the legislative and executive branches. This interplay among the branches promotes accountability and prevents any one branch from dominating the government, which is the essence of the "checks and balances" principle.

The other options represent different concepts. Overriding federal laws pertains more to state sovereignty and federalism, prioritization of federal laws over state laws is a principle stemming from the Supremacy Clause in the Constitution, and limiting the judiciary's role deviates from the concept of checks and balances, which actually empowers the judiciary with crucial oversight functions.