The UnitedHow
States
Court
didSupreme
the
Article 3 of the US Constitution
Supreme Court under
TheJustice
U.S.S.C.
interprets
Chief
John
Marshall’s
the Constitution and
leadership change American
the Law
Government?
Landmark Supreme Court Decisions
during the Marshall Years.

Three key court cases include:
 Marbury
v.
Madison
 McCullock v.
Maryland
 Gibbons v. Ogden
The United States Supreme Court under
John Marshall
(Marshall served as Chief Justice from 1801 to 1835)
-A Federal
Judge’s
of office
What
is the
term term
of office
for is
a
Retire/Expire
Federal Judge (Article 3), and
-The
of the Constitution
whyFramers
is it different
than the
wanted of
to office
insulate
Judges
from
tenure
for
the other
politics
in order of
to make
sure that
two branches
government?
Judges would focus on the law and
not popular appeal.
Marbury v. Madison (1803)

John Adams’ Midnight
Appointments






Adams, as a lame duck president,
appointed several new judges on the
eve of Jefferson’s inauguration
The most famous appointment was
John Marshall to Chief Justice.
William Marbury was appointed to a
lower federal court.
Marbury’s appointment was not
delivered before the change of
presidential administration.
The new Jefferson administration
refused to honor the appointment.
Marbury appealed to the S.C. to
secure his judgeship.
Marbury v. Madison (1803)

John Adams’ Midnight
Appointments

Marbury believed that CJ Marshall
would grant him the judgeship
because they were both
federalists.



Jefferson refused to grant the
judgeship regardless of what the
SC said.
Fearing a constitutional crisis,
Marshall sacrificed Marbury and
carved out a new power for the
Supreme Court.
Marshall & the SC declared the
portion of the law that granted
Marbury his judgeship
UNCONSTITIONAL, Marbury
was denied his judgeship, but the
SC gained the power of
JUDICIAL REVIEW
It is emphatically the province and duty
of the judicial department to say what
the law is…Thus the particular
phraseology of the Constitution of the
United States confirms and strengthens
the principle, supposed to be essential
to all written constitutions, that a law
repugnant to the Constitution is void…
John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison
McCulloch v Maryland



The state of Maryland attempted to tax a federal
bank.
At issue in this case was the supremacy of the
federal government v States Rights.
The Court nullified Maryland’s state law &
established the supremacy of the federal
government.
Gibbons v Ogden



At issue in this case was whether or not
the State of New York had the legal
authority to grant one steamship company
a contract on an interstate waterway.
The Court clarified Federal authority over
interstate commerce when it nullified
New York State’s law.
Federal law is Supreme over State Law.
Conclusion

How did the Supreme Court under Chief
Justice John Marshall’s leadership change
American Government?



The Marshall court established the power of
Judicial Review (Unwritten Constitution)
Strengthened the Supreme Court (Checks &
balances-Declaring laws unconstitutional)
Strengthened the power of the Federal
Government over the States (Federal
Supremacy)
Conclusion

The Marshall Court had a great impact on
American society. Under Marshall the Supreme
Court strengthened the authority of the Federal
Government as well as the power of the
Supreme Court.