Marbury v. Madison (1803)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
William Marbury asked the Supreme Court to order Secretary of State James Madison to deliver Marbury’s judicial commission. Chief Justice John Marshall held that Marbury had a right to the commission, but the statute giving the Supreme Court original jurisdiction to issue the writ went beyond Article III. Because that part of the statute conflicted with the Constitution, it was void.

Administrative Law – Timeline of Key Acts

Administrative law defines how federal agencies create regulations, enforce them, and how courts review agency actions. These laws remain the backbone of U.S. governance and the “administrative state.”

Administrative Procedure Act (APA, 1946)

• Established uniform procedures for agency rulemaking, adjudication, and judicial review.
• Codified due process protections in administrative law.
• Required notice-and-comment rulemaking and set standards for judicial review.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA, 1966)

• Created the public’s right to access federal agency records.
• Requires agencies to proactively disclose certain information.
• Central tool for transparency and accountability in government.

Why It Matters Today

These laws:

Administrative Procedure Act (1946)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (5 U.S.C. §§ 551–559, 701–706)

2) Why It Was Done
Passed in the aftermath of the New Deal, the APA established a uniform process for federal agency rulemaking, adjudication, and judicial review, ensuring agencies operate with transparency and accountability.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before the APA, agencies exercised broad, often unchecked authority. The Act codified due process principles for administrative action, grounded in the Fifth Amendment, and created standards for court review of agency decisions.