Marbury v. Madison

The case resulted from a petition to the Supreme Court by William Marbury, who had been appointed as a Justice of the Peace in the District of Columbia by President John Adams shortly before leaving office.

Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of State, James Madison, refused to deliver Marbury's commission, leading Marbury to sue to force Madison to act.

The Supreme Court, under Chief Justice John Marshall, determined that while Marbury was entitled to his commission, the Court did not have the authority to order Madison to deliver it.

The Judiciary Act of 1789, which granted the Court such power, was unconstitutional because it expanded the Court's original jurisdiction beyond what was defined in the Constitution.

This landmark decision established the principle of judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional and solidifying its role in the system of checks and balances.