John Marshall assumed his office as the 4th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He has made a considerable improvement in interpreting the constitutional laws of the country during his term and his opinions were highly revered and many of them were used to as a basis of the future Supreme Court decisions. His three decade term as the Chief Justice allowed him to reinstate the federal power of the government over state governments.
The Judicial Review
One of the greatest influences of John Marshall was in shaping how the supreme court functions today. It was during his tenure as the Chief Justice that the role of the judiciary as the third powerful segment of the government was established. Through his ingenuity, the state officials, the Congress and even the highest official of the land are put into restraint and their decisions are always put in check through the judicial review. Today, the judicial review is still observed and it has served as a good example to other countries under a democratic constitution.
The Power of the Federal Laws over State Laws
Another notable contribution of John Marshall as the Chief Justice was his success in strengthening the power of the federal over the state governments. He supported the norm that there are instances when the federal courts are required to exercise its power over state laws that are deemed unconstitutional. This was exemplified in the Supreme Court ruling of the McCullock vs Maryland, where the former was favored by the decision. This case became the basis of two essential doctrines of the constitution; 1) the implied powers granted to Congress in exercising the express powers of the Constitution, and 2) the state laws cannot be used to hinder or obstruct the exercise of the federal government’s constitutional laws (Newmyer, 2001). This case reflects the ability of the government to secure the needs and rights of the people in equal terms, and to keep the interest of the majority as the foremost concern.
References
Newmyer, R. (2001). John Marshall and the heroic age of the Supreme Court. LSU Press
