Final answer:
A writ of mandamus is a court order that directs a public agency or governmental body to perform a required act. In the case of Marbury v. Madison, Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the Supreme Court did not have the power to issue a writ of mandamus to force the Secretary of State to deliver a commission. This decision established the concept of judicial review.
Step-by-step explanation:
A writ of mandamus, also known as a writ of mandate, is a court order that directs a public agency or governmental body to perform a required act when it has neglected or refused to do so. In the case of Marbury v. Madison, Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the Supreme Court did not have the power to issue a writ of mandamus to force the Secretary of State to deliver a commission. This decision established the concept of judicial review.
In the case of Marbury v. Madison, Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the Supreme Court did not have the power to issue a writ of mandamus to force the Secretary of State to deliver a commission. Marshall argued that the provision in the Judiciary Act of 1789 granting the Court that power was unconstitutional.
This landmark decision established the concept of judicial review, which allows the courts to review and potentially overturn laws based on their constitutionality.