-
Creation of Supreme Court
The Judiciary Act of 1789 set the guidelines and rules for the Supreme Court. -
Period: to
John Jay
First Chief Justice of Supreme Court. He was formerly the president of the Continental Congress and was appointed the title of Chief Justice by George Washington. -
Period: to
John Marshall
A Chief Justice for 34 years, longest term of any Chief Justice, Marshall established the Supreme Court as the final authority on the meaning of the Constitution. -
Marbury v. Madison
The doctrine of Judicial Review and the Supreme Court's power as interpreter of the Constitution were a result of this case. Marbury was appointed by Adams in his final days in office, which meant that Marbury wasn't officially appointed. The Supreme Court felt he was entitled to it and the idea of checks and balances was introduced. -
Fletcher v. Peck
Peck sold Fletcher his land that he obtained invalidly due to faulty transactions. Fletcher sued Peck, saying that he had no right to sell the land as it wasn't his in the first place. The Supreme Court ruled that the state's repeal of the law was unconstitutional and that the land would not be taken away. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
James McCulloch, head of Baltimore's branch of the Second Bank, refused to pay a tax placed on the bank by the state of Maryland. Congress ruled that since they created the Second Bank, the state of Maryland could not enforce a tax on it and ruled in favor of McCulloch. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
This case established the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Ogden purchased the rights to use steamboats between New York and New Jersey, and sued Gibbons for using steamboats in his territory. The court said that New York's decision didn't match up with Congress' duty of regulation coastal trade.
