-
Creation of the Supreme Court
In the Judiciary Act of 1789, Congress decided details of the court system. Thirteen district courts were created in main cities, with one judge each, and three circuit courts to cover the other areas of the United States. Above these is the Supreme Court, as the only court of appeals. -
John Jay
John Jay was the first Chief Justice. He was appointed by President George Washington to serve on the Court. After serving as Chief Justice for five years, he became governor of New York. Jay was nominated for a second term as Chief Justice by President Adams but declined. -
John Marshall
John Marshall was appointed to the Supreme Court under President John Adams, and he held the position through Jefferson’s inauguration upon request. Serving thirty-four years, he had the longest run time of any Chief Justice. John helped establish the Supreme Court as the final authority on the meaning of the Constitution -
Marbury v. Madison
William Marbury was appointed as the justice of the peace for Washington D.C. by John Adams in his last few days in office. A petition was started because he was never fully appointed after Adams left office. The Supreme Court decided that he could keep the position.Through this, the concept of checks and balances was introduced to the government. -
Fletcher v. Peck
John Peck had purchased land that had been sold under the 1795 act and sold it to Robert Fletcher. Fletcher sued Peck, saying that Peck could not sell the land because the first sale was void. In a universal decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the state's repeal of the law was unconstitutional and the land would not be taken. This was important because it was he first time that the Supreme Court ruled a state law unconstitutional and created a better awareness for the purity legal contracts. -
Dartmouth College v. Woodward
The president of Dartmouth College was deposed by its trustees, leading to the New Hampshire legislature attempting to force the college to become a public school That would place the ability to appoint trustees in the hands of the governor. The Supreme Court kept the purity of the original charter of the college, which pre-dated the creation of the State. The decision settled the nature of public versus private charters. It also resulted in the rise of the large American businesses. -
McCollough v. Maryland
In 1816, Congress established the Second Bank of the United States, and in 1817 a branch opened in Baltimore, Maryland. Maryland passed a law in 1818 puting a tax on all banks not chartered by their legislature. James McCulloch, head of the Baltimore branch of the bank, refused to pay the tax. The Court said that Congress had the right to create the bank, and that Maryland’s laws infringed on the powers Congress has. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
Aaron Ogden had bought rights to operate steamboats in the waters between New York and New Jersey from a monopoly granted by New York. He sued Thomas Gibbons for operating steamboats in the same waters without permission. The Court found that New York’s actions were inconsistent with Congress’ duty of regulating coastal trade. This decision set up that the power to regulate interstate commerce was given to Congress by the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. -
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
The Cherokee Nation sought a federal ruling against laws passed by Georgia depriving them of rights within its boundaries. Georgia intended to force the Cherokee to leave the state. Attorney General Wirt argued that the Cherokees were a foreign nation and are exempt from laws put over their land. The court ruled that the tribe was not really considered a foreign nation and was not exempt. -
Worcester v. Georgia
Georgia passed laws restricting the Indian Removal Act. One was a law requiring all whites living in Cherokee Territory to obtain a license to live there. After missionaries refused to get licenses, they were arrested and convicted. They didn't obey when they were asked to leave Georgia. They appealed their case to the Supreme Court, saying that the law that they were convicted under was unconstitutional because they could not pass laws concerning the Indian Nation. They ruled with the defence -
Commonwealth v. Hunt
A landmark legal decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Court on the subject of labor unions. The Boston Journeymen Bootmakers' Society called a strike against all employers who hired non-union members. The leaders of the society, including Mr. Hunt, were arrested and charged with conspiracy. Mr. Hunt's defence was that the union's attempted organization and strike was in actually lawful. Chief Justice Shaw declared that the act was lawful. The Court established that trade unions were not illegal -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott was a slave from the slave state of Missouri, who lived in Illinois, a free state, for 10 years. When he returned to Missouri, he sued for his freedom claiming the time he spent living in a free territory made him a free man. His masters claimed that no one of African descent, or descendants of slaves, could be a citizen of the United States. The Supreme Court ruled that Scott was a slave and therefore not a citizen, denying him his freedom.
