Question

"It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is. Those who apply the rule to particular cases, must of necessity expound and interpret that rule. If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each." —Chief Justice John Marshall, 1803 Which conclusion can be drawn from this excerpt of the Supreme Court's decision in Marbury v. Madison? A) The jurisdiction granted to the judicial branch is limited to federal and constitutional laws. B) This decision established the concept of judicial review and strengthened the role of the Judicial branch. C) This decision gave Congress the authority to charter the National Bank, which angered the Anti-Federalists. D) This decision strengthened the "Elastic Clause" of the U.S. Constitution and expanded the powers of Congress.

Answer 1

Marbury vs. Madison is a famous Supreme Court case that establishes the concept of "judicial review." Judicial review is a concept that allows the US Supreme Court to interpret what laws mean. This is especially true for federal laws (ones including in the US Constitution). So for this question, the correct answer is B, as this court case gives the Supreme Court significant power and helps to balance out the power given to the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government.