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What is the function of the Supreme Court of the United States? In other words, what is its job? When the court first

convened in February 1790, no one really knew for sure. Article 3 of the Constitution

vested the court with the judicial power of the United States. Okay. But what does that mean?

The Constitution didn't spell it out, which is why, in its

first decade, the court played only a small role in determining the nation's direction.

This lack of clarity ended when John Marshall was appointed the fourth chief justice.

Marshall had a clear vision of the judiciary's role, that it was intended to be

a co-equal branch of government alongside the executive and legislative branches. The opportunity

to make this a reality arrived in December 1801 with the case of Marbury v. Madison. This case

would produce what may be the most influential Supreme

Court decision in American history. To understand why, we need to go back to the previous year's

presidential election. Thomas Jefferson, the leader of the Democratic Republican Party,

had just defeated incumbent President John Adams, the leader of the Federalist Party.

But Adams did not go quietly. On March 2nd, 1801, just two days before he left office, Adams nominated

dozens of federalists to various judicial and administrative positions across the country.

He hoped that these appointees,

mocked as midnight judges by the Democratic Republicans, would keep Jefferson in check.

The following day, the Senate, full of outgoing federalists, approved the nominations, and Adams signed

the commissions. In the rush, some commissions weren't delivered to the appointees

before Adams left office. One of those appointees was Maryland Federalist William Marbury.

...