Marbury v. Madison (1803): Establishing Judicial Review and Protecting Constitutional Rights In the United States

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established the principle of judicial review empowering the Supreme Court to nullify an act of the legislative or executive branch that violates the Constitution

Marbury v. Madison (1803) is a landmark case in the United States that established the principle of judicial review. The case arose when President John Adams appointed William Marbury as a justice of the peace for the District of Columbia shortly before leaving office. However, when Thomas Jefferson became the new President, his Secretary of State, James Madison, refused to deliver Marbury’s commission, and Marbury sued for its delivery.

The Supreme Court, under Chief Justice John Marshall, ruled that while Marbury had a legal right to the commission, the law passed by Congress that allowed him to sue for it was unconstitutional. Marshall argued that the Constitution did not grant Congress the power to expand the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court beyond what it had under the original text of the Constitution. Thus, the law Marbury relied upon was unconstitutional, and the Court lacked jurisdiction to grant the relief he requested.

Marshall’s ruling articulated the principle of judicial review, which holds that the Supreme Court has the authority to declare an act of Congress unconstitutional and thus invalid. This established a crucial balance of power between the three branches of government and helped to ensure that constitutional rights and protections were safeguarded against encroachments by the federal government or the majority.

Overall, Marbury v. Madison was a significant turning point in American jurisprudence, as it cemented the role of the Supreme Court as the ultimate arbiter of the Constitution’s meaning and secured its power to check both the executive and legislative branches.

More Answers: