Final answer:
Judicial restraint is a theory of judicial interpretation that encourages judges to limit their power and defer to elected officials. It advocates for upholding established precedent and only striking down laws that are clearly unconstitutional.
Step-by-step explanation:
Judicial restraint is a theory of judicial interpretation that encourages judges to limit the exercise of their own power. It asserts that judges should hesitate to strike down laws unless they are obviously unconstitutional. This philosophy advocates for the courts to defer to the decisions of elected officials and to respect established precedent. Judicial restraint is often associated with a strict constructionist approach to interpreting the Constitution.