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

• A. Marbury v. Madison (1803).
• B. Dred Scott v. Sanford
• C. McCulloch v. Maryland
• D. Gibbons v. Ogden

Answer: (A)

Judicial review is the power of the courts to interpret the Constitution and strike down laws or executive actions that conflict with it. The ruling that established this power for the U.S. Supreme Court is Marbury v. Madison (1803). In that decision, the Court held that a portion of the Judiciary Act of 1789 extended the Court’s original jurisdiction in a way the Constitution did not permit, making that part unconstitutional. By asserting this, the Court established the authority to review laws and presidential actions and declare them invalid if they violate the Constitution. This creates a check on both the legislative and executive branches and solidifies the judiciary’s role as the final interpreter of constitutional questions. The other cases listed deal with federal power or rights in specific contexts rather than establishing the principle of judicial review.