Selects: What's the deal with subpoenas?

The case resulted from a petition to the Supreme Court by William Marbury, who had been appointed as a Justice of the Peace in the District of Columbia by President John Adams shortly before leaving office. Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of State, James Madison, refused to deliver Marbury's commission, leading Marbury to sue to force Madison to act. The Supreme Court, under Chief Justice John Marshall, determined that while Marbury was entitled to his commission, the Court did not have the authority to order Madison to deliver it. The Judiciary Act of 1789, which granted the Court such power, was unconstitutional because it expanded the Court's original jurisdiction beyond what was defined in the Constitution. This landmark decision established the principle of judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional and solidifying its role in the system of checks and balances.

United States v. Nixon was a pivotal Supreme Court case concerning President Richard Nixon's refusal to release the Watergate tapes. In 1974, Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox subpoenaed Nixon to release recordings and documents related to conversations within the Oval Office. Nixon claimed executive privilege, asserting that these materials were confidential and necessary for the functioning of the presidency. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled against Nixon, stating that executive privilege was not absolute and could not be used to withhold evidence in a criminal investigation. The Court balanced the need for presidential confidentiality with the importance of due process and the fair administration of justice. Nixon was compelled to release the tapes, which contained incriminating evidence that led to his resignation shortly thereafter.