Which early Supreme Court case established judicial review?

• A. Dred Scott v. Sandford
• B. Marbury v. Madison
• C. Plessy v. Ferguson
• D. Roe v. Wade

Answer: (B)

Judicial review is the power of the courts to interpret the Constitution and strike down laws or government actions that conflict with it. Marbury v. Madison established this authority for the Supreme Court. In that decision, the Court held that while Marbury had a right to his commission, the specific remedy he sought was not available because the Judiciary Act of 1789 extended the Court’s original jurisdiction beyond what the Constitution permits. More broadly, the opinion announced that laws repugnant to the Constitution are void, and it is the role of the judiciary to say what the law means. That ruling created the enduring check-and-balance mechanism in which the Supreme Court can review federal statutes and executive actions for constitutional compliance.

The other cases mentioned address different issues: Dred Scott v. Sandford dealt with slavery and citizenship, Plessy v. Ferguson upheld segregation under a "separate but equal" doctrine, and Roe v. Wade addressed abortion rights. None of them establish the principle of judicial review.