What landmark case established the principle of judicial review?

The landmark case that established the principle of judicial review is Marbury v. Madison. This case, decided in 1803, is significant because it asserted the power of the Supreme Court to declare laws and actions of Congress and the President unconstitutional. The ruling stemmed from a dispute over judicial appointments made by outgoing President John Adams, and the subsequent refusal of the new Secretary of State, James Madison, to deliver those commissions. Chief Justice John Marshall's opinion in this case laid the foundation for the judiciary's role as a check on the legislative and executive branches, reinforcing the idea that it is the judiciary's responsibility to interpret the law and uphold the Constitution as the supreme law of the land. This established judicial review is a critical mechanism that allows courts to ensure that government actions comply with constitutional principles.

Other cases mentioned address different important issues, such as civil rights, abortion rights, and the relationships between government and religion, but they do not connect to the establishment of judicial review as a fundamental judicial doctrine.