-
Creation of the Supreme Court
In the summer of 1787, the Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, during which the Constitution was written. The Supreme Court of the United States was established under Article III, as well as the lower federal courts. While the number of Justices sitting on the Court was left to Congressional discretion, the first Supreme Court had a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices. -
John Jay
The first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was New York native John Jay. A former president of the Continental Congress, he was appointed by George Washington to serve on the court. After serving five years on the bench he became governor of New York. Jay was nominated for a second term as Chief Justice by John Adams but declined. -
John Marshall
The longest serving Chief Justice in Supreme Court history, Marshall dominated the Court for over three decades and played a significant role in the development of the American legal system. Most notably, he established that the federal courts are entitled to exercise judicial review, the power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution. Thus, Marshall cemented the position of the American judiciary as an independent and influential branch of government. -
Marbury vs, Madison
The doctrine of judicial review and the Supreme Court’s power as interpreter of the Constitution was established in the case of Marbury vs. Madison. William Marbury was appointed by John Adams in his last few days in office to serve as the justice of the peace for Washington, D.C. A petition was started because he was never fully issued his appointment after Adams left office. The Supreme Court decided that he was entitled to the position. The concept of checks and balances was introduced. -
Fletcher vs. Peck
In 1795, the state of Georgia divided a 35-million-acre region of land into four tracts and sold each to different development companies. It was discovered that these sales were approved in exchange for bribes, and the transactions were voided. John Peck had purchased land that had been sold under the 1795 act and sold it to Robert Fletcher in 1803. Fletcher sued Peck, argueing that Peck had no right to sell the land because the original sale was invalid. The land was not taken away. -
Dartmouth College vs. Woodward
The case arose when 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 institution and thereby place the ability to appoint trustees in the hands of the governor. The Supreme Court upheld the sanctity of the original charter of the college, -
McCollough vs. Maryland
In 1816, Congress passed an act establishing the Second Bank of the United States, and in 1817 a branch opened in Baltimore, Maryland. The state of Maryland passed a law in 1818 imposing a tax on all banks not chartered by their legislature. James McCollough, head of the Baltimore branch of the Second Bank, refused to pay the tax. The Court held that Congress had the right to create the bank, and that Maryland's laws interfered with the powers Congress has. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
This case established that the power to regulate interstate commerce was granted to Congress by the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Aaron Ogden had purchased the rights to operate steamboats in the waters between New York and New Jersey from a monopoly granted by the state of 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. -
Worcester vs. Georgia
Worcester vs. Georgia was a case in which the United States Supreme Court vacated the conviction of Samuel Worcester, holding that the Georgia criminal statute, prohibiting non-Indians from being present on Indian lands without a license from the state, was unconstitutional. The opinion is most famous for its dicta, which lays out the relationship between tribes and the state and federal governments, building the foundations of the doctrine of tribal sovereignty in the United States. -
Dred Scott vs. Sanford
Dred vs. Sanford was a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that people of African descent imported into the United States and held as slaves were not protected by the Constitution and could never be U.S. citizens.The court also held that the U.S. Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories and that, because slaves were not citizens, they could not sue in court. Lastly, the Court ruled that slaves private property.
