Marbury vs Madison

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Background

After the election and before Jefferson took office, the Federalists passed an act to expand the nation's court system. John Adams used this act, the Judiciary Act of 1801, to make hundreds of appointments during his last days as president. Adams also asked John Marshall to serve as chief justice. Congress was then still under Federalist control and supported Adams's choices. In this way, Adams blocked Jefferson from making appointments and made sure the Federalists controlled the courts.

Background cont.

Adams's appointments could not take effect until these last-minute appointees, known as "midnight judges," received certain official papers, called commissions. When Jefferson became president, some of these appointees had not yet received their letters of commission. Jefferson told Secretary of State James Madison not to deliver them. One of the appointees who did not get his commission was William Marbury. He asked the Supreme Court to force its delivery. The Court said it did not have the jurisdiction—the legal authority —to force delivery of Marbury's commission. Marbury had argued that an act of Congress gave the Court such authority, but the Court ruled that the act violated the Constitution. 

Decision/Significance: 

The ruling in Marbury v. Madison in 1803, affected much more than William Marbury's career. In this landmark case, Chief Justice John Marshall established the three principles of judicial review: (1) the Constitution is the supreme law of the land; (2) the Constitution must be followed when there is a conflict with any other law; and (3) the judicial branch can declare laws unconstitutional. In short, Marshall claimed for the courts the power to find acts of other branches unconstitutional. Judicial review is a key check on the legislative and executive branches.