Marbury vs Madison
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In the case of Marbury vs. Madison, William Marbury sued the Secretary of State, James Madison, for not delivering his judicial commission. The court ruled the law (Federal Judiciary Act) unconstitutional because the Constitution does not give the court the right to issue judicial commissions. This formed Judicial Review. This was the first time the Supreme Court ruled a law unconstitutional. Judicial Review is when the Supreme Court rules a law unconstitutional.
After President John Adams lost the election of 1800, before leaving office, he appointed a number of federal judges. However, his Secretary of State did not have all the appointment papers delivered to the new judges. After Jefferson took over office as President, he found out that these papers had not been delivered. He told his Secretary of State, James Madison, to not give them to the new judges...