Judicial Review: Marbury v. Madison

Judicial review, established by the Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison in 1803, is the principle that allows the judiciary to review and potentially invalidate legislative and executive actions that are found to be unconstitutional. This landmark decision arose from a political conflict during the transition of power from President John Adams to President Thomas Jefferson.

Chief Justice John Marshall asserted that it is the duty of the judiciary to determine whether an act of Congress is in accord with the Constitution. This precedent has profoundly influenced the balance of power among the branches of government and reinforced the judiciary's role as a safeguard of constitutional principles.