AP Gov Court Cases - Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Overview

Established the principle of judicial review empowering the Supreme Court to nullify an act of the legislative or executive branches that violates the Constitution

Topic

Federalism reflects the dynamic distribution of power between national and state governments

Original Jurisdiction

Cases start at the Supreme Court-it is the first court to hear the case

Appellate Jurisdiction

Cases are first argued and decided by lower courts and then appealed to the Supreme Court, which can review the decision and affirm or reverse it

Judiciary Act of 1789

Law authorized the Supreme Court to issue writs of mandamus to persons holding office under the authority of the United States

Writ of Mandamus

Command by a superior court to a public official or lower court to perform a special duty

Facts

-William Marbury (appointed a justice of the peace of the District of Columbia) was an appointee who didn't receive a commission
-Marbury sued James Madison and asked SCOTUS to issue a writ of mandamus for Madison to deliver the commissions
-Chief Justice John Marshall framed the case as a question of the Constitutionality

Constitutional Clauses and Federal Law

Article 2 Section 2 Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution

"In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be a party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, which such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make."

Judiciary Act of 1789
This Act is authorized the Supreme Court to "issue writs of mandamus... to persons holding office under the authority of the United States."

Decision and Significance

Unanimous Decision:
-Marbury was entitled to the commission, but the Court didn't have the authority to require Madison to deliver it
-The Judiciary Act of 1789 conflicted with the Constitution because it gave the SCOTUS more power than vested in Article 3, and the Court had no means of providing original jurisdiction
-Constitution deemed superior to the Act, and declared they must strike it down

Significance:
-established Judicial Review to strike down unconstitutional laws passed by Congress and actions of the executive branch
-the Constitution has the final authority over laws
-made the Judicial branch equal in power to the other branches