This document summarizes the key events and outcomes of the landmark 1803 Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison. It describes how the Judiciary Act of 1801 created 16 new Federalist judgeships, angering Jeffersonians. William Marbury sued James Madison for failing to deliver his judicial commission. Chief Justice John Marshall dismissed the case but established the power of judicial review, allowing courts to declare laws unconstitutional, and defining the Supreme Court's authority over Congress and the executive branch.

1. M
ARBURY V.
M
ADISON

2. BACKGROUND

3. AND
THE
JUDICIARY
ACT
OF 1801
M
IDNIGHT
JUDGES
The last important law passed by the Federalist Congress
16 new Federalist judgeship positions
Nickname for judgeships became midnight judges
Jeffersonians outraged at the Judiciary Act of 1801

4. Justice of the Peace of
Washington, D.C.
On the behalf of several other
midnight judges, Marbury sued
Madison for the missing
commissions.
Marbury’s lawyer issued writ of
mandamus, leading the case
to the Supreme Court.
THE TWO PARTIES:
WILLIAM MARBURY

5. Secretary of the State
Ordered by Jefferson to
withhold any commissions to
prevent the fulfillment of the
Judiciary Act
THE TWO PARTIES:
JAMES MADISON

6. THE
CASE

7. Strict Federalist and enemy to
Thomas Jefferson
Realized futility in declaring
executive branch to enforce
writ of mandamus
PRESIDING JUDGE:
JOHN MARSHALL

8. COURT HOUSE
Brought to the Supreme Court in 1803
IN
THE
6 month long recess from Congress to allow concrete evidence
Judiciary Act of 1801 revoked by Congress after 1 year
Once court returned, Marshall dismissed Marbury’s case

9. THE
VERDICT

10. TO
AVOID
DIRECT POLITICAL
CONFRONTATION, M
ARSHALL DISM
ISSED
THE
CASE
ON
THE
GROUNDS
OF
UNCONSTITUTIONALITY.

11. M
OTIVE
Direct confrontation would ensure a loss to the Supreme Court
Created the power of judicial review
Marshall formed first distinctive power for the Court

12. JUDICIAL REVIEW
Removed important power from powerful Congress
PRINCIPLE
OF
Directly contrasted ideas seen in Kentucky Resolutions
Power to determine or deem an act of Congress unconstitutional
First definitive power given to the Court

13. THE
SIGNIFICANCE

14. THE
SUPREM
E
COURT
Supreme Court essentially irrelevant without power of judicial review
POW
ERS
TO
Definitive power to limit Congress & Executive Branch
Limits previously strong power of the states
First case to actually define certain powers of Judicial Branch

15. SOURCES: INFO
KENNEDY, DAVID, LIZABETH
COHEN, AND
THOM
AS
BAILEY. THE
AM
ERICAN
PAGEANT. 14TH.
BOSTON, M
A: W
ADSW
ORTH, 2006. PRINT.
“M
ARBURY V. M
ADISON." OUR
DOCUM
ENTS. N.P., N.D., W
EB. 8
NOV2010. <W
W
W
.OURDOCUM
ENTS.GOV>.
M
R. KLOPFENSTEIN’S
LECTURE
NOTES

16. SOURCES:
PICTURES
JAM
ES
M
ADISON: http://www.google.com
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1&tbnid=PBW
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es%2Bm
adison%26um
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W
ILLIAM
M
ARBURY
http://www.google.com
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edia.org/wiki/File:M
arbury.jpg&usg=__EHZXNR11yzlsU9LIJz
H0SStIohg=&h=234&w=181&sz=40&hl=en&start=3&sig2=20ym
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UfQ&zoom
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SECTION
PICTURE: http://www.google.com
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kE_C_zD9KtZhJnT0cLBU=&h=677&w=1024&sz=200&hl=en&start=4&
sig2=b4XOtI90qVroVo0cYOenGQ&zoom
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:&tbnh=99&tbnw=15
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