Marbury Vs Madison - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

Marbury vs Madison was a landmark Supreme Court case in 1803 that established the principle of judicial review in the United States. The case arose from a dispute over a political appointment made by President John Adams before leaving office. William Marbury, one of the appointees, sued Secretary of State James Madison for refusing to grant him his commission. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that while Marbury had a legal right to his appointment, the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction to order Madison to grant it. Marshall used this case to establish the Court’s power of judicial review, which allows the Court to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.