When John Marshall was appointed the chief of justice in 1801 by John Adams, the US Supreme Court was weakened. For example, the Supreme Court used to meet in a small room in the basement of the Capitol.
Marshall first act was to change the way the judgments were held, rather than each justice read his own opinion, the justices had to agree if the court should have one opinion delivered orally. If a judge had a dissenting opinion it would be also read.
He also made the Supreme Court the responsibility to interpret and defend the Constitution on the case Marbury v. Madison, calling it the principle of judicial review.