The decision in the Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803) case established the doctrine of "judicial review," which is the Supreme Court's power to evaluate laws and declare them unconstitutional.
Chief Justice John Marshall reasoned that the language in Article III of the Constitution, which explicated and enumerated the power of the US Supreme Court, intended the Judicial branch (which the Supreme Court heads) to ensure all laws conform to constitutional mandates.
"The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority..." [emphasis mine]
This clause can be interpreted to mean the Judicial branch is further empowered with the authority to determine whether legislation is constitutionally sound. If the Legislative or Executive branches are allowed to act unilaterally, without any form of oversight, then there is no means of protecting the integrity of the Constitution. This responsibility would logically fall to those with an understanding of law, the judiciary, or more specifically, the Supreme Court.
The Constitution limits the action of all branches of government, not just the judiciary. The lack of specific instruction for which cases fall under the Court's appellate jurisdiction, as opposed to the specificity of which cases are under its original jurisdiction, tends to suggest the Founding Fathers intended to provide the Court an expanded scope of responsibility with regard to safeguarding the Constitution, not a more limited one.
This is part of the system of checks and balances that helps ensure no single branch of the government becomes too powerful or tyrannical.
Case Citation:
Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)
For more information, see Related Questions, below.
It established the Supreme Court as the ultimate authority on the U.S. Constitution. (study island )
The Judicial Branch of government is vested with the authority to interpret the Constitution and ensure that laws adhere to the spirit and letter of the Constitution. It is also responsible for determining how a laws are interpreted and applied.As the highest court in the nation, the US Supreme Courtis the ultimate authority on the interpretation of laws and the Constitution.However, through the system of checks and balances, the Supreme Court does not have the final say on what the Constitution is. The Congress, with the several States, has the authority to amend (change) the Constitution, thus potentially overturning a Supreme Court decision. This is a difficult and time-consuming thing to accomplish and so is not often done.
In the United States, the Supreme Court is vested with the power to settle disputes. The Supreme Court was established in Article III of the U.S. Constitution.
The first case in which the Supreme Court exercised its power of judicial review was Marbury v. Madison in 1803. In this landmark case, Chief Justice John Marshall established the principle of judicial review, which allows the Court to review and potentially invalidate laws or actions of the executive branch that are deemed unconstitutional. The decision affirmed the Court's role as the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution and significantly strengthened the judiciary's independence and authority.
supreme courtThe government body responsible for interpreting the United States Constitution is the federal courts of the Judicial Branch.
The ratification of the US Constitution in 1789.
It established the Supreme Court as the ultimate authority on the U.S. Constitution. (study island )
Fourth Chief Justice John Marshall, in the US Supreme Court case Marbury v Madison, (1803).
It established the Supreme Court as the ultimate authority on the U.S. Constitution. (study island )
The Supreme Law of the Land Is the Constitution. And the Constitution has all the laws In it so it has overall authority.
It established the authority of the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of an act of Congress. That is, it resolved that the Supreme Court is the final authority when determining whether a law is Constitutional or not.
Supreme Court
According to the US Constitution itself, the United States Supreme Court is the final interpreter of the Constitution. The Court's decisions are final and are seldom changed.
The constitition established the supreme court.
The US Supreme Court
According to Articles I and III of the Constitution, Congress is granted sole authority to establish courts inferior to (lower than) the US Supreme Court.
Article III of the United States Constitution established the Supreme Court. It outlines the judicial branch of the government, granting the Supreme Court the authority to interpret laws and adjudicate disputes. This article also provides for the creation of lower courts and defines the jurisdiction of the federal judiciary.