Marbury Vs Madison

By Rashawn2007

  • Judiciary Act of 1789

    The Judiciary Act of 1789 is signed into law by U.S. President George Washington. The law establishes a three-part judiciary—made up of district courts, circuit courts, and the Supreme Court.

  • William Marbury

    William Marbury, one of the 11 appointees who has not received a commission, files a petition with the Supreme Court, asking it to issue a writ of mandamus to force Madison to deliver the commission, without which Marbury cannot serve in office.

  • John Marshall

    John Marshall who has served since June 1800 as secretary of state in the cabinet of President John Adams, is confirmed by the U.S. Senate as chief justice of the Supreme Court.

  • President Adams

    President Adams signs into law the Judiciary Act of 1801, passed by his allies in the Federalist-controlled Congress. The act reorganizes the federal judiciary and establishes the first circuit judgeships in the country.

  • Election of 1800

    Thomas Jefferson of the Democratic-Republican Party emerges as the victor in the bitterly contested U.S. presidential election of 1800, which is finally decided in a vote by the U.S. House of Representatives.

  • Organic Act

    Congress passes the Organic Act for the District of Columbia. Along with other provisions, the act creates an unspecified number of new judgeships.

  • Time Passes

    On March 2 Adams nominates 23 justices of the peace in Washington county and 19 in Alexandria county. After the Senate confirms these appointments on March 3, Adams signs the official commissions, not finishing until late into the night of his last full day in office (hence the group came to be known as the midnight judges).

  • Jefferson

    After Jefferson takes office he discovers the signed, sealed, but as yet undelivered commissions. He decides to reappoint 12 of the men who had been on Adams’s list but instructs his secretary of state, James Madison, to not deliver commissions to the remaining 11.

  • Marbury Vs Madison

    The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Marshall, hands down its ruling in Marbury v. Madison. It denies Marbury’s request that it issue a writ of mandamus. The Court finds that it lacks jurisdiction to do so because the section of the Judiciary Act passed by Congress in 1789 that authorizes the Court to issue such a writ is unconstitutional and thus invalid.