Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Marbury V Madison
Marbury V Madison
Madison
1803
The Story
• Jefferson defeats incumbent Adams in Presidential
election of 1800.
– Adams’ last day in office is March 3, 1801.
• Congress, in support of Adams, established 16 new
judgeships and many other offices.
– March 2, 1801: Adams signs commissions appointing
“midnight justices.”
• William Marbury was one of the Justices.
• Secretary of State is supposed to affix the Great Seal of
the U.S and deliver the commissions.
– He didn’t finish.
• Jefferson orders his Secretary of State James Madison
Not to deliver the commission
• Marbury takes case to Supreme Court to ask for a writ of
mandamus commanding Madison to deliver the
commission under the Judiciary Act of 1789.
Issue Under Debate
Did Marbury have a right to the
commission?
"Marbury v. Madison." Landmark Cases of the Supreme Court. Street Law, Inc.
Web. 05 Oct. 2010. <http://www.streetlaw.org/en/Case.1.aspx>.
"Marbury v. Madison." Supreme Court Case Studies. New York: McGraw Hill, 2008.
1-2. Print.