Maryland HSA Government Practice Test

Interpreting laws is done by the judiciary. Courts read statutes and the Constitution, determine what the rules mean in real cases, and decide how they should apply to people and government actions. They settle disputes about what a law requires, and they assess whether laws or actions are constitutional. The legislature writes laws, the executive enforces them, and the military handles defense and security; none of these primarily interpret laws the way courts do. So the branch that interprets laws is the judiciary.