Was James Madison in a trial for some reason. Why?

Question

I need an image of James Madison of him in court, and another image of him in the war of 1812. I need to be able to see his face to highlight, and have a description of him in war and court.

Answer 1

Yes, there are some good artists' rendering of the scenes you are looking for, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madison

http://www.jamesmadison.info/

http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?p=James+Madison+%2B+portrait+%2B+1812+%2B+court&prssweb=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&x=wrt&u=experts.about.com/e/j/ja/James_Madison.htm&w=james+madison+portrait+1812+court&d=Vz4t3EVuN_5J&icp=1&.intl=us

http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/jmadison.html

http://www.si.edu/archives/archives/findingaids/FARU0361.htm

As for when Madison was in court, take a look at this excellent site concerned with the Marbury vs Madison case:

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/marbury.html

This 1803 decision marked the first time the United States Supreme Court declared a federal law unconstitutional. Chief Justice John Marshall wrote the opinion for the court. He held that it was the duty of the judicial branch to determine what the law is. His opinion established the power of judicial review—that is, the court's authority to declare laws unconstitutional.

Answer 2

The most famous such law case was Marbury vs. Madison at the Supreme Court, 1803. Madison was Thomas Jefferson's secretary of state. As such, it was Madison's job to give their commissions to newly appointed federal judges. Outgoing president John Adams had appointed a lot of judges at the last moment of his term. It was so last moment that people jokingly called them the "midnight judges." Adams was of the Federalist party, whereas Jefferson and Madison were Republican-Democrats. Jefferson had defeated Adams for re-election. Madison refused to give their commissions to the new appointees. One appointee, Marbury, sued to get his commission, saying he had been appointed and confirmed. The Supreme Court ruled against him, saying that although it was too bad, there was no law that Madison had to give him the commission.