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Creation of Supreme Court
Congress laid out the rules and regulations of the Supreme Court which included that they are the only court of appeals. This date is important because it was the beginning of the biggest part of our judiciary branch. -
John Jay
John Jay was the first Supreme Court Justice, he was a former president of the Continental Congress. He served five years as chief justice then became the govenor of New York. -
John Marshall
John Marshall was Chief Justice of United States from 1801 to 1835. He established the right of the Court to exercise “judicial review,” the power of the Court to rule on the constitutionality of federal laws. -
Marbury vs. Madison
During Adams presidency he tried to appoint all ferderalists.But failed in hiring William Marbury and two others before his term was over.Jefferson came into office with Madison as his secretary of state.He ordered Madison not to hire the three men.Marbury fought to supreme court to get the job.Madison fought that it was unconstitutional that the Supreme Court didn't have the power to do so.Chief Justice John Marshall felt the constitution was "the law of the land" so Marbury didn't get the job. -
Fletcher v. Peck
Robert Fletcher bought land from John Peck. Fletcher argued that since the original sale of the land had been declared invalid, Peck had no legal right to sell the land and thus committed a breach of contract. The court was in favor of Peck and Fletcher had the land now. -
Darmouth College v. Woodward
The New Hampshire legislature unconstitutionally interfered with Dartmouth College's rights under the Contract Clause by trying to change it into a state university.The legislature changed the school's corporate charter by transferring the control of trustee appointments to the governor.The Court held that the College's corporate charter qualified as a contract between private parties, with which the legislature could not interfere. -
McCollough v. Maryland
In 1816, Congress chartered The Second Bank of the United States. In 1818, the state of Maryland passed legislation to impose taxes on the bank. James W. McCulloch, the cashier of the Baltimore branch of the bank, refused to pay the tax. -
GIBBONS v. OGDEN
A New York state law gave two individuals the exclusive right to operate steamboats on waters within state jurisdiction.Laws like this one were duplicatedelsewhere which led to friction as some states would require foreignboats to pay substantial fees for navigation privileges.In this case a steamboat owner who didbusiness between NewYork and New Jersey challenged themonopoly that New York had granted, which forced him to obtain a special operating permit from the state to navigate on its waters -
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
The Cherokee wanted the U.S. Supreme Court to stop Georgia from illegally and forcefully removing their Nation from its lands.Ruled in favor of Georgia by finding that the Supreme Court had no legal authority to hear the dispute because Indian tribes are "domestic dependent nations," not foreign nations. -
Worcester v. Georgia
Samuel A. Worcester and others, were indicted in the supreme court for the county of Gwinnett in the state of Georgia for "residing within the limits of the Cherokee nation without a license." Worcester was convicted and sentenced to "hard labour in the penitentiary for four years." The case was thrown out. -
Commonwealth v. Hunt
The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that the common-law doctrine of criminal conspiracy did not apply to labour unions. Until then, workers’ attempts to establish closed shops had been subject to prosecution. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri. He lived in Illinois (a free state) for 10 years and in an area of the Louisiana Territory, where slavery was forbidden by the Missouri Compromise of 1820. After returning to Missouri, Scott argued that since he lived in a territory that was free he was free. He lost the case and was re-enslaved.
