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| | == The Marshall Court == | | == The Marshall Court == |
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| − | Meanwhile, in another branch of government, the Supreme Court was expanding its power under Chief Justice [[John Marshall]]. Marshall was a Federalist appointed by President John Adams, and Marshall served as Chief Justice for an astounding 35 years. Virtually every important decision rendered by his Court, starting with ''Marbury v. Madison'', expanded federal power. There was no "check and balance" on Marshall's expansion in judicial power for many decades, until near the end of Marshall's career when President Andrew Jackson stood up to him and ignored Marshall's decision on an Indian issue. | + | Meanwhile, in another branch of government, the Supreme Court was expanding its power under Chief Justice [[John Marshall]]. Marshall was a Federalist appointed by President John Adams, and Marshall served as Chief Justice for an astounding 35 years. The Supreme Court when Marshall was Chief Justice is referred to as the "Marshall Court," just as other courts throughout history are referenced by the name of the Chief Justice during that period (e.g., the Taney Court or, today, the Roberts Court). |
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| | + | John Marshall was opposed to Thomas Jefferson, even though they were related to each other as second cousins. Marshall wanted a powerful federal court system, while Jefferson did not. |
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| | + | Virtually every important decision rendered by the Marshall Court, starting with ''Marbury v. Madison'', expanded federal power. There was no "check and balance" on Marshall's expansion in judicial power for many decades, until near the end of Marshall's career when President Andrew Jackson stood up to him and ignored Marshall's decision on an Indian issue. |
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| | The expansion in ''federal'' power by the "Marshall Court" from 1801 to 1835 included the following decisions (legal nomenclature "''Smith v. Jones''" means a lawsuit between someone named Smith and an opponent named Jones): | | The expansion in ''federal'' power by the "Marshall Court" from 1801 to 1835 included the following decisions (legal nomenclature "''Smith v. Jones''" means a lawsuit between someone named Smith and an opponent named Jones): |
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| − | *''Marbury v. Madison'' (1803): established the power of judicial review to declare an Act of Congress unconstitutional. | + | *''Marbury v. Madison'' (1803): established the power of "judicial review" to declare an Act of Congress unconstitutional. |
| | *''Fletcher v. Peck'' (1810): established the power of federal court to invalidate a state law as unconstitutional (it held that a Georgia law violated the [[Contract Clause]] in the U.S. Constitution) | | *''Fletcher v. Peck'' (1810): established the power of federal court to invalidate a state law as unconstitutional (it held that a Georgia law violated the [[Contract Clause]] in the U.S. Constitution) |
| | *''Dartmouth College v. Woodward'' (1819): established that the Constitution prevents a state from altering the charter of a private corporation (Dartmouth College) | | *''Dartmouth College v. Woodward'' (1819): established that the Constitution prevents a state from altering the charter of a private corporation (Dartmouth College) |