Which landmark Supreme Court decision established the principle of judicial review?

• A. McCulloch v Maryland
• B. Gibbons v Ogden
• C. Marbury v Madison
• D. Dred Scott v Sandford

Answer: (C)

Judicial review is the power of the courts to determine whether laws or government actions violate the Constitution, serving as a check on both Congress and the presidency. In Marbury v Madison, the Supreme Court established this power as a central function of the judiciary. The Court reasoned that while a writ of mandamus could be issued under certain circumstances, the specific statute extending that remedy went beyond what the Constitution permitted, and since the Constitution is the supreme law, the Court has the authority to strike down such provisions. This solidified that the judiciary can review acts of Congress for constitutionality and declare them invalid when they clash with the Constitution, creating the long-standing principle of judicial review. The other landmark cases dealt with different constitutional issues—federal powers, the regulation of interstate commerce, and issues of citizenship and slavery—not with establishing judicial review.