Step-by-step explanation:
John Marshall's ruling in Marbury v. Madison is significant because it established the principle of judicial review, which gives the Supreme Court the power to strike down laws or government actions that are unconstitutional.
In the Marbury v. Madison case, William Marbury sued the Secretary of State, James Madison, for failing to deliver his commission as a justice of the peace in the District of Columbia. Chief Justice John Marshall, writing for the Court, held that Marbury had a right to his commission, but the Court did not have the power to order Madison to deliver it. Marshall argued that the section of the Judiciary Act of 1789 that gave the Supreme Court the power to issue such orders was unconstitutional, as it exceeded the powers granted to the judiciary by the Constitution.
Marshall's ruling in Marbury v. Madison established the principle that the Supreme Court had the power to declare a law unconstitutional, or to strike down a government action as unconstitutional. This power has been used by the Court in many landmark cases throughout American history, including:
Brown v. Board of Education (1954): In this case, the Court declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the "separate but equal" doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson.
Roe v. Wade (1973): In this case, the Court held that a woman has a constitutional right to choose to have an abortion, striking down a Texas law that criminalized abortion except to save the life of the mother.
United States v. Nixon (1974): In this case, the Court held that President Richard Nixon had to turn over tapes of conversations recorded in the Oval Office to a special prosecutor investigating the Watergate scandal. The Court's ruling established the principle that the president is not above the law and must comply with legal orders.
Overall, Marshall's ruling in Marbury v. Madison has had a profound impact on the development of American constitutional law and the role of the Supreme Court in American government.