Marbury Vs. James Madison: The Most Important Case In Supreme Court History

On February 24, 1803, in the District of Columbia in the United States of America, with the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice John Marshall, crucial history took place; the case of William Marbury versus James Madison. Many people say that this case is the most important case in Supreme Court history because it was the first to apply the principle of judicial review. This Supreme Court case determined many rules and laws that were put into place later in the future.

Thomas Jefferson had just become the U.S. President, so John Adams appointed a large amount of justices of peace which were approved by the Senate, signed by the president, and affixed with the official seal of the government. William Marbury was appointed a justice of the peace

for the District Columbia during the final hours of John Adams's administration. When Thomas Jefferson became the president, he ordered James Madison not to deliver the commissions. Because James Madison, the secretary of state at the time, refused to deliver Marbury’s commission, as told, Marbury and three others petitioned for a “writ of mandamus,” ordering the delivery of their commissions and a reason why they did not get them. “Marshall ruled that Marbury had been properly appointed in accordance with procedures established by law, and that he therefore had a right to the writ. Secondly, because Marbury had a legal right to his commission, the law must afford him a remedy,” www.pbs.org. John Marshall looked to be more on the side of the petitioners and against Jefferson and Madison especially when he went on to say that the courts were there to protect individuals rights.

Although John Marshall was looked to be leaning more towards the petitioners side, he had to be an honest man. “Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789 provided that such writs might be issued, but that section of the act was inconsistent with the Constitution and therefore invalid,” www.history.com. William Marbury was denied his commission, and he did not become a justice of peace. “In Marshall's opinion, Congress could not give the Supreme Court the power to issue an order granting Marbury his commission. Only the Constitution could, and the document said nothing about the Supreme Court having the power to issue such an order,” www.infoplease.com. Even through all of that drama, the Supreme Court discovered something that they had the power of, judicial review. John Marshall’s ruling determined the power of judicial review for the Supreme Court. Now, the Supreme Court had the right to view and look over actions and laws by Congress and the President. If the Court determined a law was unconstitutional, they could overrule it. “lt is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is,” wrote John Marshall.