What landmark Supreme Court case recognized the legal principle of "judicial review"?

The landmark Supreme Court case that recognized the legal principle of "judicial review" is Marbury v. Madison. This case, decided in 1803, established the important precedent that the Supreme Court has the authority to review acts of Congress and determine whether they are constitutional. This decision affirmed the judiciary's role as a co-equal branch of government alongside the legislative and executive branches, providing a fundamental check on legislative power.

The case involved William Marbury, who had been appointed as a justice of the peace but did not receive his commission, as well as Secretary of State James Madison, who was instructed not to deliver the commission. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that while Marbury had a right to his commission, the specific law that he used to bring his claim to the Supreme Court was unconstitutional. This ruling effectively established the principle of judicial review, empowering the Court to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution, thereby shaping the balance of power within the American government.