What major principle did Marbury v. Madison establish?

• A. The supremacy of the legislative branch
• B. The right to counsel
• C. Judicial review—the power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
• D. Federalism

Answer: (C)

Judicial review is the idea that courts can examine laws and government actions to decide whether they comply with the Constitution. Marbury v. Madison established that authority for the federal judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, making the Constitution the supreme law of the land and giving courts the power to strike down statutes that conflict with it. This creates a crucial check on legislative power and ensures that laws and actions align with constitutional principles. Before this decision, the judiciary didn’t have a clear authority to review federal laws, so Marbury set a foundational role for the courts in interpreting the Constitution. The other options describe different concepts—legislative supremacy, the right to counsel, and federalism—but none of them capture the specific power Marbury v. Madison affirmed.