This landmark Supreme Court case arose directly from the Judiciary Act of 1801. When Jefferson’s new administration took office, Secretary of State James Madison refused to deliver the official commission papers to several of Adams’s “Midnight Judges,” including William Marbury. Marbury sued Madison, asking the Supreme Court to issue a writ (a court order) forcing Madison to deliver the papers.
The Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, ruled that:
- Marbury was legally entitled to his commission.
- However, the part of the older law (the Judiciary Act of 1789) that gave the Supreme Court the power to issue such a writ was unconstitutional.
Significance: By striking down a portion of a federal law passed by Congress, Marbury v. Madison established the principle of Judicial Review , which is the Supreme Court’s most vital check on the other two branches. This power allows the Court to declare acts of the President or Congress unconstitutional, permanently shaping the balance of power in the American system.
