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John Jay
John Jay was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1789 to 1795. As a former President of the Continental Congress, he was appointed by George Washington. After five years of being Chief Justice, he became governor of New York. At being nominated a second time by John Adams, he declined. Because Jay was the first Chief Justice, he determined whether the new judiciary system was going to work. Jay proved the Supreme Court was a vital aspect to the government. -
Creation of the Supreme Court
In the Judiciary Act of 1789, Congress layed out the groundwork for the federal judiciary system. Above the district and circuit courts, the Supreme Court, with its Chief Justice and Associate Justices, is the only court of appeals. The Supreme Court keeps the other branches of government in check and can determine if an act of Congress is unconstitutional. -
John Marshall
Prior to being appointed Chief Justice by President John Adams, John Marshall had served as his Secretary of State. Marshall served as Chief Justice from 1801 to 1835. Marshall's decisions in many important cases supported the unity of states and the national government's power. -
Marbury v. Madison
William Marbury sued for his commision that he had been denied. The case went to the Supreme Court for review. Chief Justice Marshall declared by theJudiciary Act of 1789 Marbury had the right to his commision. The Act passed by Congress; however, was unconstitutional. Due to the unconstitutionality of the Act, Marbury was denied his commision. When Marshall ruled the Act of Congress unconstitutional, he established the doctrine of judicial review and cemented the system of checks and balances. -
Fletcher v. Peck
In the case of Fletcher v. Peck, Chief Justice Marshall presided over a case of land fraud in Georgia. Marshall determined a state could not invalidate a contract by passing legislature. This was the first time the Supreme Court ruled a state law unconstitutional. -
Dartmouth College v. Woodward
In the case of Dartmouth College v. Woodward, a law New Hampshire had passed changed Dartmouth from a private college to a public institution. Marshall declared the law to be unconstitutional. The verdict was a private contract could not be altered by the state. This struck down another state law. -
McCollough v. Maryland
In this Supreme Court case, the state of Maryland passed a law imposing a tax on a branch of the federal bank. Another issue was if the Congress had the power to create a bank. Marshall determined that a state could not tax a federal insitution and that the Congress had the implied power to create a bank. This case established federal laws as being superior to state laws. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
In this case, Aaron Ogden was sueing Thomas Gibbons for operating steamboats in waters he purchased as a monopoly from the state of New York. The monopoly conflicted with a charter authorized by Congress. Marshall ruled the New York Monopoly unconstitutional. This established the federal government's ability to regulate the broad spectrum of inerstate commerce. -
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
In support of the Indian Reoval Act, Georgia passed laws requiring the Cherokees to relocate in the West. The Cherokee took Georgia to court. The Supreme Court ruled that because the Cherokee were not a foreign nation, they didn't have the right to sue in federal court. This verdict supported the Indian removal policy, ignored all Cherokee claims, and eventually led to the "Trail of Tears." -
Worcester v. Georgia
In the second case concerning Indian removal, the Supreme Court ruled that the laws of Georgia had no force within the boundaries of the Cherokee territory. This federal law went against state laws. This is decision would not be followed through with or enforced. The "Trail of Tears" would later occur in 1838. -
Commonwealth v. Hunt
With the rise of industrial development and organized labor in the 1830's, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that "peaceful unions" had the right to negotiate their labor contracts with their employers. Following this, most of the northern state legislatures passed laws for better working conditions and terms. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott was born into slavery in the slave holding state of Missouri. He lived in the free state of Illinois from 1833-1843. After returning to Missouri, he sued the state claiming his freedom came from his residency in a free state. His old masters claimed that because he was of African descent and used to be a slave he could never be a US citizen. The Supreme Court ruled that Scott was still a slave and denied him his freedoms. This further caused major issues in the debate on slavery. -
Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & School v. EEOC et al
Cheryl Perich, a teacher with narcolepsy, is sueing Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & School after being dismissed. "Ministerial exception" has been recognized by lower courts as exempting religious institutions from discrimination suits from employees with religious duties. The question is whether this keeps Perich from sueing. The 6th circuit found the lawsuit not on religion, but possibly in violation of the ADA. The school has appealed to the Supreme Court.
