Who are the "midnight judges" In your own words, explain the Supreme Court decision Marbury v Madison. What does "judicial review" mean ?

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Now, to answer your question:

The "midnight judges" were a group of judges who were appointed by President John Adams at the very end of his presidency, specifically on his last day in office. This happened in 1801, and the term "midnight judges" comes from the fact that Adams made these appointments late at night before his successor, Thomas Jefferson, took office.

Now let's move on to Marbury v Madison. In this Supreme Court case, William Marbury, one of the midnight judges, was appointed as a justice of the peace in the District of Columbia. However, he did not receive his commission before President Adams left office. When Thomas Jefferson became president, his Secretary of State, James Madison, refused to deliver Marbury's commission.

Marbury then took his case to the Supreme Court, arguing that Madison's refusal violated his rights. The Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, had a dilemma. If it ordered Madison to deliver the commission, it would be challenging the authority of President Jefferson. On the other hand, if it ruled in favor of Madison, it would appear weak and irrelevant.

To resolve this dilemma, Chief Justice Marshall used this case as an opportunity to establish the power of judicial review. Judicial review is the authority of the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of laws and actions taken by the government. In other words, the Court can review legislative acts and executive actions to ensure that they comply with the Constitution.

In the Marbury v Madison decision, the Court ultimately ruled against Marbury, stating that the law under which he was seeking his commission was unconstitutional. However, the more significant impact of the case was the establishment of the principle of judicial review. This decision solidified the Supreme Court's power to interpret the Constitution and declare laws and executive actions invalid if they were found to be unconstitutional.

So, to summarize, the "midnight judges" were judges appointed by President John Adams on his last day in office. The Supreme Court decision in Marbury v Madison established the power of judicial review, which allows the Court to review and evaluate the constitutionality of laws and actions taken by the government.