Final answer:
In Marbury v. Madison, Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that Marbury had the right to a legal remedy, but the Judiciary Act of 1789 was unconstitutional. This established the principle of judicial review and the supremacy of the Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the case of Marbury v. Madison in 1803, Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that Marbury had the right to a legal remedy for not receiving his commission as a justice of the peace.
However, Marshall also found that the Judiciary Act of 1789, which would have allowed the Supreme Court to grant Marbury's remedy, was unconstitutional. This led to the establishment of the principle of judicial review, which gave the Supreme Court the power to review and possibly nullify actions of Congress and the president.
This decision had a dual nature: it limited the power of the courts by declaring the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional, but it also expanded their power by establishing judicial review. It emphasized that the Constitution was the supreme law of the nation and that acts of the legislature in conflict with the Constitution are void.