separation of powers

[ sep-uh-rey-shuhn uhv pou-erz ]

noun

1. the principle or system of vesting in separate branches the executive, legislative, and judicial powers of a government.

separation of powers

1. A fundamental principle of the United States government, whereby powers and responsibilities are divided among the legislative branch , executive branch , and judicial branch . The officials of each branch are selected by different procedures and serve different terms of office; each branch may choose to block action of the other branches through the system of checks and balances . The framers of the Constitution designed this system to ensure that no one branch would accumulate too much power and that issues of public policy and welfare would be given comprehensive consideration before any action was taken.

Example Sentences

The court framed the question entirely in terms of the separation of powers.

From Slate

There are, of course, other brakes on the tendency of one-party rule to subvert the system of separation of powers and checks and balances.

From Salon

There James Madison argued that the separation of powers among the president, the Congress, and the Supreme Court would be essential in protecting the liberty of Americans.

From Salon

Paxton led the appeal to the state Supreme Court when the legislature's subpoena created a question about the separation of powers between the state's branches of government.

From Salon

“The separation of powers doesn’t mean antagonistic relations between the executive and the judiciary, it doesn’t mean that they cannot meet,” he said at an event by the Indian Express newspaper, adding that such meetings were not used “to cut deals”.

From BBC