Answer
The implied power of judicial review.
Explanation
It validated Article III of the US Constitution, which granted the Supreme Court the highest level of judicial power in the United States, and delineated which types of cases were properly part of the Court's appellate jurisdiction, and which part of its original jurisdiction.
Marshall's interpretation of Article III was that, as an independent branch of the tripartite federal government, part of the Court's responsibility was judicial review, which allows the Supreme Court to analyze legislation and nullify any laws they determine to be unconstitutional.
In the case of Marbury v. Madison, (1803), the Marshall Court declared Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional because Congress had overreached their authority by attempting to make the Court responsible for all writs of mandamus. Marshall determined Marbury fell under its appellate jurisdiction, and that the case should be heard in the lower courts.
The doctrine of judicial review enabled the Court to check power of the Legislative and Executive branches by preventing them from imposing legislation that violated citizens' constitutional rights.
Article III
"Section 1. The judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behaviour, and shall, at stated times, receive for their services, a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.
"Section 2. 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;--to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls;--to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction;--to controversies to which the United States shall be a party;--to controversies between two or more states;--between a state and citizens of another state;--between citizens of different states;--between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states, and between a state, or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens or subjects.
"In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be 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, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.
"The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury; and such trial shall be held in the state where the said crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any state, the trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law have directed.
"Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
"The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted"
Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)A writ of mandamus is a court order compelling an official to take action - or refrain from taking action - on something within his or her scope of responsibility. In Marbury v. Madison, (1803), William Marbury sought a judgment from the Supreme Court forcing the Secretary of State, James Madison, to deliver a justice of the peace commission former President Adams had awarded Marbury immediately leaving office. Delivery was to be arranged by the Secretary of State's office, which, ironically, had been under (Chief Justice) John Marshall's control at the time the commission was signed. Due to time constraints, the task fell to the incoming Jefferson administration, which refused to execute Adams' orders.One of the problems Chief Justice Marshall faced in handling the Marbury case was the potential that Madison would refuse to comply with a writ of mandamus, leaving the Court powerless to enforce its order. This was a reasonable concern, as Marshall had already issued a preliminary request for Madison to show cause why the Court should not issue a writ of mandamus (a standard procedure), which Madison ignored.If the Court was unable to move the Secretary of State, the Judicial branch would be seen as weaker than either the Executive and Legislative branches, which could render it ineffectual.Marshall knew Marbury represented a power struggle between Adams' Federalist party, which was deeply entrenched in the judiciary but losing political power in other parts of government, and Jefferson's Democratic-Republican party, which had just assumed control of the White House and Congress.William Marbury was a wealthy businessman, a banker, who had no real need (or probably desire) to hold the position for which he sued. The Federalists may have expected Marshall, who was also a Federalist, to side with them and strengthen the party's grip on the judiciary. Jefferson may have expected Marshall to issue an order he couldn't enforce, which would have undermined the Federalist party.Marshall was less concerned with partisan politics than with ensuring the Supreme Court operated as a powerful and independent branch of government. The Chief Justice negotiated a middle course that gave each side a partial victory while discouraging both parties from using the Court as a pawn.In the Opinion of the Court, Marbury was entitled to his commission because it had been properly approved, signed and sealed by President Adams; however, the Court lacked jurisdiction to order Madison deliver the commission. The case would have to be addressed in a lower court first, then appealed if necessary (Marbury never pursued this step).According to Marshall, Congress had overstepped its constitutional authority in the Judiciary Act of 1789 by granting the Supreme Court power to issue all writs of mandamus, in contradiction to the specific areas of original jurisdiction granted in Article III. The decision declared Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional and rendered it null and void.Marbury v. Madison, (1803), is often cited as the landmark case that affirmed the Supreme Court's right of judicial review.For more information on Marbury v. Madison, see Related Links, below.
The fundamental issue that was raised at the constitutional convention was slave trade and human rights abuses. Those were the issues that were strife then.
At the Constitutional Convention, the most significant disagreement dealt with the issue of representation in the legislature. The convention was held in 1787.
The Federalists apparently hoped Marshall would side with Marbury, because Marshall, a Federalist, was the Secretary of State under John Adams, and was responsible for delivering Marbury's commission, which was withheld after the change of administration.In reading the opinion, it appears the Court's decision was based on an ethical and intellectual assessment of law and the Constitution, and did not show personal bias toward the Plaintiff (or against the Defendant).Marshall and Jefferson were distant cousins, and had never gotten along. Historians report the Court's decision angered Jefferson, which probably didn't bother Marshall, but was unlikely to have significantly influenced the ruling (although Marshall did take the Executive branch to task in his written opinion).Case Citation:Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)
Gibbons v. Ogden -- interstate commerce
The case of Marbury v. Madison overturned the legal precedent that allowed the Supreme Court to issue writs of mandamus to government officials.
No. In the opinion of the Court, Marshall declared Marbury was entitled to his commission, but that the Supreme Court didn't have original jurisdiction to issue the writ of mandamus Marbury requested. Marshall explicitly stated Marbury would have to refile his case in a lower court first, then appeal to the Supreme Court if he failed to get relief at that level. Marbury never refiled his case.Case Citation:Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)For more information, see Related Questions, below.
Marbury v. Madison (1803) was a landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Court to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution. The case arose when William Marbury petitioned for a writ of mandamus to compel Secretary of State James Madison to deliver his commission as a justice of the peace. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that while Marbury had a right to his commission, the Court could not issue the writ because the section of the Judiciary Act of 1789 that granted the Court this power was unconstitutional. This decision affirmed the judiciary's role as a co-equal branch of government and set a precedent for future cases involving constitutional interpretation.
William Marbury and his fellow plaintiffs wanted the Supreme Court to issue a writ of mandamus (a court order compelling an official to take action) to Secretary of State James Madison, commanding him to deliver the missing commissions so the plaintiffs could take office as justices of the peace.Case Citation:Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)
The Marbury v Madison (1803) decision concerned Article III of the Constitution, especially the section which states that "the judicial power shall extend to all cases . . . arising under the Constitution." The decision of Marbury v Madison resolved any doubt about that clause. The power of Judicial Review, the right to rule on the actions and acts of the federal government, rested with the federal courts. This decision gave the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional.Case Citation:Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)
In the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison (1803), William Marbury petitioned the Supreme Court to compel Secretary of State James Madison to deliver his commission as a justice of the peace. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that while Marbury had a right to his commission, the Court did not have the authority to issue a writ of mandamus under the Judiciary Act of 1789, declaring that part of the law unconstitutional. This case established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution.
In the landmark case Marbury v. Madison (1803), the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, ruled that William Marbury was indeed entitled to his commission. The Court stated that Marbury had a right to the commission because it had been duly signed and sealed. However, it ultimately concluded that it did not have the authority to issue a writ of mandamus to compel Secretary of State James Madison to deliver the commission, as the section of the Judiciary Act of 1789 that granted the Court that power was found to be unconstitutional.
In the case of Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court ultimately resolved the issue by establishing the principle of judicial review, which gives the Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional. This decision affirmed the Court's authority to interpret the Constitution and set a precedent for the balance of power between the branches of government.
In the Marbury v. Madison case of 1803, the justices did not vote in the traditional sense, as Chief Justice John Marshall authored the majority opinion. The ruling found that while William Marbury had a right to his commission, the Supreme Court did not have the authority to issue a writ of mandamus under the Judiciary Act of 1789, which was deemed unconstitutional. This established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Court to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution.
Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)Marshall declined to issue a writ of mandamus ordering Madison to deliver Marbury's (and the other plaintiffs') commissions ostensibly because the Chief Justice declared the Court lacked constitutional authority to do so.In reality, Marshall had issued a "show cause" order in December 1801, a preliminary step to issuing a writ of mandamus, that Madison ignored. Marshall could reasonably assume Madison would also ignore a writ of mandamus, a move that would weaken the Judicial branch's authority in government. Since Marshall's goal was to strengthen the Judicial branch, he knew ordering delivery of the commissions was out of the question, and devised what appeared to be a deliberate political strategy to enhance the power of the Court without creating conflict between the three branches of government or the warring Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties.
Since Jefferson did not want the Federalists to obtain control of the judiciary branch of the government, he ordered these commissions not to be delivered. One of the people who did not receive his commission was William Marbury. Marbury asked for an order from the Supreme Court to deliver the commissions, however Jefferson instructed Madison to disregard the order. Marbury appealed to the Supreme Court
Yes. In the opinion of the Court, Marshall declared Marbury was entitled to his commission, but that the Supreme Court didn't have original jurisdiction to issue the writ of mandamus Marbury requested. Marshall explicitly stated Marbury would have to refile his case in a lower court first, then appeal to the Supreme Court if he failed to get relief at that level. Marbury never refiled his case.Case Citation:Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)For more information, see Related Questions, below.