Marbury v. Madison establishes judicial review
- When
- 1803
- Where
- Supreme Court Chamber of the Capitol Building (customary venue; 1803 site inferred)
- Episodes
- 1
Marbury v. Madison, decided February 24, 1803, established judicial review, empowering courts to strike down unconstitutional laws. Originating from political rivalry between Adams and Jefferson, the case involved William Marbury's lawsuit against Secretary James Madison for undelivered commissions. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled against Marbury, affirming the Court's authority to interpret the Constitution.
Episodes
Background and detail
Background. The case stemmed from the rivalry between outgoing President John Adams and incoming Thomas Jefferson. In March 1801, Adams appointed Federalist supporters to judicial positions, including William Marbury, to frustrate the Democratic-Republicans. After Jefferson took office, Secretary James Madison refused to deliver Marbury's commission, prompting a lawsuit in the Supreme Court.
Significance. The decision established the principle of judicial review, allowing American courts to strike down laws violating the Constitution. It is regarded as the most important decision in American constitutional law. The ruling confirmed the supremacy of the federal government and Constitution over the states, transforming the Court into a center of power.
People involved
- John Marshall · Chief Justice
- James Madison · Secretary of State
- William Marbury · Plaintiff
- John Adams · Former President
- Thomas Jefferson · President
Sources
- Marbury v. Madison Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-27
- John Marshall Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-13
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.