Marbury v. Madison (1803) was a landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Court to strike down 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. The Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, ruled that while Marbury had a right to his commission, the law granting the Supreme Court the power to issue such writs was unconstitutional, thus asserting the judiciary's role in government.
