Case Summary: Marbury v. Madison (1803)

In the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison, the United States Supreme Court established the principle of judicial review, which granted the Court the power to review the constitutionality of acts of Congress and declare them void if they violated the Constitution. The case arose from a political dispute between outgoing President John Adams and incoming President Thomas Jefferson.

William Marbury, one of Adams' appointees for a justice of the peace position in the District of Columbia, had not received his commission before Adams' presidency ended. In an effort to secure his commission, Marbury petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus, which would compel newly appointed Secretary of State James Madison to deliver the commission.

Chief Justice John Marshall, in delivering the Court's unanimous opinion, acknowledged that Marbury was entitled to his commission, as the appointment was completed and signed by the President. However, Marshall reasoned that the Supreme Court lacked the authority to issue the writ of mandamus as granted by the Judiciary Act of 1789, which had expanded the Court's original jurisdiction.

The Court held that the provision of the Judiciary Act that granted it the power to issue writs of mandamus was unconstitutional because it extended the Court's original jurisdiction beyond what was allowed by the Constitution. This ruling marked the first time the Supreme Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional, asserting the power of judicial review.

By establishing the precedent of judicial review, the Court asserted its authority to interpret the Constitution and determine the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress. This decision solidified the role of the Supreme Court as the ultimate arbiter of the Constitution and significantly strengthened the judiciary's power within the system of checks and balances in the United States government.