Which court case established the principle of judicial review?

The principle of judicial review was established by the court case Marbury v. Madison. This landmark decision, delivered by Chief Justice John Marshall in 1803, asserted the authority of the Supreme Court to review acts of Congress and determine whether they are constitutional. The significance of this ruling lies in its affirmation that the judiciary has the power to check the legislative and executive branches, ensuring that no laws or actions violate the Constitution. This decision laid the foundation for the balanced distribution of power among the branches of government and has since been critical in shaping the interpretation of constitutional law in the United States.

Other choices, while significant in their own right, do not address the concept of judicial review. McCulloch v. Maryland dealt with federalism and the powers of Congress, Fletcher v. Peck was primarily about contracts and property rights, and Brown v. Board of Education focused on desegregation in public schools. Each of these cases contributed important developments in legal history but did not establish the principle of judicial review as Marbury v. Madison did.