feb 24, 1803 - Marbury v. Madison

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In 1801, President John Adams appointed a number of federal judges, including William Marbury, to serve as justices of the peace in the District of Columbia. However, President Thomas Jefferson, who took office in 1801, directed his Secretary of State, James Madison, not to deliver the appointments. Marbury filed a lawsuit seeking a writ of mandamus to compel Madison to deliver the commissions.
Decision was that court didn't have the power to make Madison deliver them, but Marbury also should be able to have the documents delivered. Established the principle of judicial review, Court has the power to review if certain laws or decisions by Congress are unconstitutional, and if so, they can be nullified essentially.

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