Prior to his leaving office, John Adams pushed the Judiciary Act of 1801 through Congress, setting up district courts and allowing him to appoint hundreds of Federalist judges before the Democratic-Republicans took power. Adams appointed judges until he literally left office, creating a paperwork logjam. The appointees could not assume their judgeship until they received their papers. When Jefferson, Adams's successor, came into office, he ordered the remaining papers to not be delivered to the appointees. William Marbury took his case to the Supreme Court, asking them to force the delivery of his papers. Chief Justice John Marshall refused, stating it was out of their jurisdiction. He then took the case a step further and established the principle of judicial review, in which the Court can review contested laws with the Constitution and declare them unconstitutional.