Judicial Review: Marbury v. Madison

Judicial Review is the power of the courts to determine whether laws or actions by the government are constitutional. This important principle was established in the landmark case Marbury v. Madison in 1803. In this case, William Marbury sued Secretary of State James Madison for not delivering his appointment as a justice of the peace.

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, ruled that it had the authority to review acts of Congress and state laws, thereby establishing the principle of judicial review that allows the judiciary to check the powers of the other branches of government.