Who won Marbury v. Madison?

Answer 1

John Marshall ruled that Marbury was entitled to his commission, but stated the US Supreme Court didn't have original jurisdiction over the case (could not hear the case as a trial court). Both sides won a partial victory; however, Marbury didn't pursue the case in the lower courts as Marshall stipulated, and didn't receive the commission he'd been promised, so Madison (Jefferson) won by default.

William Marbury was a wealthy businessman and a member of the Federalist Party, who didn't really need or care about the commission, as his failure to follow-up attests. Marbury v. Madison represented an attempt on the Federalists' part to embarrass the new Democratic-Republic President, Thomas Jefferson. John Marshall's brilliant solution defused the situation and discouraged his fellow Federalists from using the Supreme Court as a means of attacking Jefferson.

The decision also had the effect of affirming the Court's right of judicial review, which angered Jefferson, and which he never acknowledged as valid. Maybe the most accurate response is that the Supreme Court won.

Case Citation:

Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137 (1803)

Answer 2

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