Why was Mulberry versus Madison an important Supreme Court case? Was it because it created executive powers or it created congregational oversight or it created the Supreme Court or it created the idea of judicial review?

Answer 1

The case of Marbury v. Madison is known as an important Supreme Court case because it established the principle of judicial review.

In the case, William Marbury, along with a few others, had been appointed as a justice of the peace by outgoing President John Adams. However, the newly appointed Secretary of State under Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, refused to deliver Marbury's commission. As a result, Marbury petitioned the Supreme Court to issue a writ of mandamus (a court order) compelling Madison to deliver the commission.

Ultimately, Chief Justice John Marshall and the Supreme Court ruled that while Marbury was entitled to his commission, the Court did not have the jurisdiction to issue a writ of mandamus in this case. In reaching this conclusion, Chief Justice Marshall declared that Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789, under which Marbury filed his claim, was unconstitutional. This decision essentially established the power of the Supreme Court to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.

Therefore, Marbury v. Madison is significant because it set the precedent for the practice of judicial review, which gives the Supreme Court the authority to determine the constitutionality of laws and actions taken by the government. It clarified the Court's role as an important check on the power of both the executive and legislative branches, thus shaping the balance of power in the United States.