Marbury v. Madison by Hayden Lynch, updated 5/25/98

Related historical timeline created with Timeliner (Nobles grad, Tom Snyder)

In 1803, arguably one of the most important Supreme Court cases ever took place: Marbury v. Madison. John Adams, shortly before his leaving of the presidential office, appointed numerous Federalists into political positions in what is known as "the midnight appointments". William Marbury was made a justice of the peace during these controversial appointments, and as Jefferson's Secretary of State, James Madison would not deliver a commission. Marbury took his case all the way to the Supreme Court, where the Chief Justice John Marshall was a known Federalist. Marshall did not agree with Madison's choice to not deliver the commission, but he ruled that it was not enforceable. He declared that the law which enabled the Supreme Court to force the Secretary of State to deliver a commission was unconstitutional. This was the first time the Supreme Court had overturned a national law, and set up the Supreme Court's right to do so under "Judicial Review". Judicial Reveiw has been used numerous times since Marbury v. Madison, and is crucial in the checks and balances of our government system.

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