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What did Marbury v. Madison establish about judicial review in the United States?

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constitution Original copy of the Constitution of the United States of America, housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

The 1803 Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison is foundational to U.S. constitutional law because it established the doctrine of judicial review.1

In his opinion, Chief Justice John Marshall declared a portion of the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional, marking the first time the Court struck down an act of Congress. By doing so, Marshall asserted that the judiciary serves as the ultimate arbiter of the U.S. Constitution, affirming that any law repugnant to the Constitution is void.12

This ruling established the power of federal courts to determine the constitutional validity of legislation and executive actions, ensuring the judiciary functions as a coequal branch of government alongside the legislative and executive branches. While the doctrine is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, it has become a fundamental feature of the American legal system and a cornerstone of the nation's checks and balances.3421