Marbury v. Madison was a result of the lame duck period, when the power shifted from the federalists when John Adams was president to Thomas Jefferson, a democratic republican. The night before Jefferson went into presidency, Adams appoints a whole load of new judges so federalists could still have some power. William Marbury was supposed to be one of these judges but was not appointed to be one in time because Jefferson became president. Marbury then asked the Court to issue a writ of mandamus to secretary of state, James Madison but Jefferson decided to withdraw all the new commissions and ordered Madison deny them. This called for John Marshall to rule on this argument. When ruling on the case, John Marshall had three issues and questions
