Final answer:
The judges appointed by John Adams in the final hours of his presidency were known as "midnight judges." Among Adams's appointments was John Marshall as Chief Justice, leading to the pivotal Marbury v. Madison case, which established the principle of judicial review.
Step-by-step explanation:
At the end of his presidency, John Adams made several judicial appointments in an effort to maintain Federalist influence in the government after his term. These appointees are often referred to as "midnight judges" because Adams signed their appointments late into the night shortly before leaving office.
The most significant of these appointments was John Marshall, who became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. However, when Thomas Jefferson became president, he ordered his Secretary of State, James Madison, not to deliver the commissions for these appointments.
This led to the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison, in which the Supreme Court established the principle of judicial review and set the precedent for the Court's role in interpreting the Constitution.
The Judiciary Act of 1801 was a critical element in this episode of American history. It expanded the number of federal judgeships allowing Adams to appoint Federalists to the judiciary, thereby influencing future legal decisions.
These actions contributed to the first major political and constitutional conflict in the young United States, setting forth the judiciary's power to assess the constitutionality of legislative acts.