Marbury v. Madison · US History

John Marshall's decision in Marbury v. Madison was unique because he...

  1. Ruled in favor of his own political party's interests
  2. Used the 14th Amendment to justify his decision
  3. Formally and directly overturned a decision previously made by the British House of Lords
  4. Increased the Court's power by declaring it lacked a specific power granted by Congress
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Correct answer: Increased the Court's power by declaring it lacked a specific power granted by Congress

The brilliance of Marshall's ruling was that he seemingly limited the Court's power (by saying it couldn't issue the writ) in order to establish a much greater, foundational power (judicial review). This move made the decision difficult for his political opponents to attack.

Difficulty: Medium Question 19 of 20

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