Marbury v. Madison is a neat case though. The court determined that it was powerless to grant the relief requested. That's right. It said it could only interpret law ("say what the law is"), and could not make law.
No, M & M is a fishy case. Marshall grabed power under the guise of modesty, claiming the court had no jurisdiction. And ever seince then, judicial dorkwads (to use a term of art) have been messing with the American republic. That's my legal opinion.