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Creation of the Supreme Court
Initially after its creation, the Supreme Court consisted of the Lieutenant Governor, members of the council, and in 1794, the Governor. Later, in 1806, the number of judges rose from five to nine, and those judges made up the Supreme Court. However, the general assembly still had the power to overturn court rulings. In 1818, the court was actually established as the ruling court. -
John Jay
John Jay was a leader of the Federalist party. He was officially nominated as the Chief Justice by George Washington on September 24, 1789. He was then unanimously confirmed by the Senate on September 26. There were only four cases while Jay was the Justice: the West vs. Barnes, Chisholm vs. Georgia, Hayburn's Case, and Georgia vs. Brailsford. -
John Marshall
John Marshall was confirmed by the Senate as Chief Justice on January 27, 1801. He received his commision on January 31. He was a forceful and influential political figure. He powerfully influenced the other judges. Several of his important court decisions were Marbury vs. Madison, Fletcher vs. Peck, McCulloch vs. Maryland, and Dartmouth College vs. Woodward. -
Marbury v. Madison
William Marbury, who had been appointed Justice of the Peace by John Adams in the District of Columbia, petitioned to force the Secretary of State, James Madison, to send the documents of his commission directly. John Marshall denied his petition, saying that that upon which he based his claim was unconstitutional. -
Fletcher v. Peck
John Peck had acquired land that had been part of an original legislative land grant to Georgia, then sold the land three years later to Robert Fletcher. Fletcher claimed that Peck had no right to sell the land, despite the fact that the grant had been declared invalid. The court did not take away the land or invalidate the contract. -
Dartmouth College v. Woodward
Dartmouth College was deposed by its trustees, and the New Hampshire legislature tried to force it to become a public institution and place its trustees in the hands of the governor. The court kept the original charter of the college. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
The state of Maryland tried to impose a tax on notes of banks not chartered in Maryland. The court ruled that Maryland had no right to interfere with the bank's operations. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
Aaron Ogden filed a complaint asking that Gibbons be restrained from operating his boats. The case was argued by some of America's most capable attorneys of the time. The court then ruled that the power to regulate commerce was granted to Congress not individual states. -
Worcester v. Georgia
Missionaries Samuel Worcester and Elizur Butler were opposed to Cherokee removal and therefore targeted by Georgia. The Supreme Court vacated the conviction of Worcester and upheld that keeping Indians from being on Indian lands without a license of the state was unconstitutional. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave who had lived in the free states of Illinois and Wisconsin before moving back to the slave state of Missouri. He appealed there for his freedom. Chief Justice Roger Taney decided that since Dred Scott was black, he could not be a citizen and therefore had no right to sue. This decision outraged the abolitionists.
