During President John Adams's last week in office, he decided to some men to be of the peace. To notify the men of their appointments, Adams wanted to send them paper but he ran out of and did not send them before he office. Thomas the new

president, refused to send them; he wanted to appoint his own justices. William one of the men Adams wanted to appoint justice of the peace, was upset

by the situation, so he asked the Court to remedy it by issuing a of mandamus la order). The writ would have required Marbury's

commission to be