Who wrote the Marbury v. Madison decision?

• A. Thomas Jefferson
• B. John Marshall
• C. John Jay
• D. James Madison

Answer: (B)

Identifying the author of the Supreme Court's Marbury v. Madison opinion. John Marshall, the Chief Justice at the time, wrote the opinion that established the principle of judicial review. In 1803, Marshall explained that Marbury had a right to his commission but that the Court could not issue a writ of mandamus because the relevant provision of the Judiciary Act of 1789 extended the Court’s original jurisdiction beyond what the Constitution permits. This reasoning created the power for the judiciary to review and strike down laws or executive actions that conflict with the Constitution, shaping the Court’s role for generations. James Madison is involved as the defendant in the case, and Thomas Jefferson and John Jay were not the authors of this decision (Jefferson was a political leader of the era, and Jay had served as Chief Justice earlier but did not write this opinion).