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Supreme Court Milestones
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Creation of the Supreme Court
It was first proposed through the U.S. Constitution in the third Article. It was officially established through the Judiciary Act of 1789. This act called for a Chief Justice and five associate justices. This was the framework for what has become the U.S. government today. -
John Jay
Was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He was appointed by George Washington. He served in the court for five years. During this time he negotiated the Treaty of Amity Commerce and Navigation which is also know as the "Jay Treaty". He was also one of the authors of The Federalist Papers. -
John Marshall
John Marshall was Chief Justice of the Court. His opinions helped lay the framework for American Consitutional Law. His idea was that the court would work together with both the legislative and executive as coequal branches. He still holds the record for the longest time served as Chief Justice. -
Marbury v. Madison
John Marshall's first major case. Jefferson ordered his Secretary of State James Madison to not hive the Federalist judges that John Adams hired their commissions. William Marbury was one of them and sued for his commission. Marshall ruled that according to the Judiciary Act of 1789 he had the right to his commission but then he went on to state that the act was unconstitutional so Marbury would not be given the commission. From then on the court could overrule actions made by the other branches -
Fletcher v. Peck
This case was involving land fraud in Georgia. Georgia split land into four territories and sold it to land developing companies. This land grant was know as the Yazoo Land Act of 1795. It turns out that it had been aproved due to bribes and when the scandle was exposed they repelled the law to undo the sales. Marshall decided that a state could not pass legislation that would invalidate a contract. This case was the first time a state law was ruled unconstitutional. -
Dartmouth College v. Woodward
In this case New Hampshire made a law that changed Dartmouth College from a private college to a public institution. Marshall ruled that the state law was unconstitutional. He stated that a private contract can not be changed by the state. -
McCollough v. Maryland
Maryland tried to collect a tax from the Second Bank of the United States. Marshall used a loose interpretation of the Constitution to state that a state could not tax a federal institution. Federal laws were supreme over state laws. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
In this case Aaron Ogden asked for a monopoly on a steamboat company to keep Gibbson out of "his waters" . Marshall ruled that the monopoly was unconstitutional therefore Gibbons won. Marshall then established the federal goverment's broad control of interstate commerce. -
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
In this case the Cherokee Nation was upset that Georgia was depriving them of their rights. John Marshall ruled that the Cherokee were their own nation not citizens of the U.S. -
Worcester v. Georgia
Following the case of the Cherokee Nation v. Georgia a second case came up. Samuel Worcester said argued that any non-indian could not be in Indian territory without a licence. The ruling was the laws of Georgia had no force in the boundaries of Cherokee territory. -
Commonwealth v. Hunt
Before this case labor unions that tried to create unionized workplaces would be charged with conspericy. In this case the Massachusetts Supreme Court said that peaceful unions had the right to negotiate labor contracts with employers. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri before he was taken to Wisconsin for two years and then brought back. He sued for his freedom arguing that since he had lived on free soil he was a free man. The court voted against him stating that he was not worthy to be a citizen, the court could not deprive Sanford of his property, and the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. This ruling delighted southerners while it upset the north.
