Which landmark case established the principle of judicial review in the United States?

• A. Marbury v. Madison (1803)
• B. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
• C. Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
• D. Wickard v. Filburn (1942)

Answer: (A)

Judicial review—the power of the courts to interpret the Constitution and nullify laws or actions that violate it—is the idea being tested. Marbury v. Madison is the case that established this authority for the Supreme Court. In 1803, William Marbury sought a writ of mandamus to force delivery of his commission, and Chief Justice John Marshall used the decision to declare that part of the Judiciary Act of 1789 exceeded the Constitution’s restrictions on the Court’s original jurisdiction. By striking down that provision, the Court asserted its authority to review legislation and executive actions for constitutional validity. From there, the Court became the final interpreter of the Constitution, able to check laws and actions that contravene it.

The other cases concern how far Congress and the states can go in regulating power and commerce, not the origin of judicial review. McCulloch v. Maryland centers on federal supremacy and implied powers; Gibbons v. Ogden clarifies interstate commerce regulation; Wickard v. Filburn extends federal reach under the Commerce Clause. They illustrate constitutional interpretation and federal power, but they do not establish the principle of judicial review.