William Marbury was not allowed to take office because his commission as a justice of the peace was not delivered before President Thomas Jefferson took office. Jefferson's administration, led by Secretary of State James Madison, refused to recognize Marbury's appointment, leading Marbury to petition the Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus to compel Madison to deliver the commission. The landmark Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison ultimately established the principle of judicial review, but it also ruled that Marbury did not have a legal right to his commission.
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