Introduction to Supreme Court Justice John Marshall
John Marshall was born on September 24, 1755 in Germantown, Virginia. After serving in the Revolutionary War Marshall earned his degree in law from the College of William and Mary, passing the bar in 1780. Marshall entered politics and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1782, 1787 and 1795. In 1797, Marshall was appointed as one of three envoys sent on a diplomatic mission to France, the precursor to the XYZ Affair. Marshall was offered appointment to the United States Supreme Court in 1798 but turned it down in favor of practicing law. However in 1799, Marshall reentered politics and was elected briefly to the United States House of Representatives. Marshall did not remain in the House of Representatives for long as John Adams appointed him Secretary of State in 1800. In that year, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court resigned, leaving the spot vacant. In 1801, President Adams nominated Marshall Chief Justice of the United States and the Senate confirmed his appointment as 4th Chief Justice on January 27, 1801 however Marshall would remain Secretary of State throughout Adam’s term. A prominent federalist, Marshall was instrumental in establishing the Supreme Court as the final authority on the interpretation of the Constitution and in the strengthening the federal government in his 34 years as Chief Justice, the longest tenure ever held in that position. Marshall established the Judiciary as a branch of government coequal with the executive and legislative, something that possibly the framers of the Constitution never intended. Marshall participated in more than 1000 decisions and authored over 500 opinions himself; dominating the courts. Chief Justice John Marshall molded the development of the Constitution in America perhaps more so than anyone but the framers themselves. Marshall died on July 6, 1835 at the age of 79 a mammoth of the law and a champion of the federal government, changing the role of the judicial branch in the United States forever.
John Marshall was born on September 24, 1755 in Germantown, Virginia. After serving in the Revolutionary War Marshall earned his degree in law from the College of William and Mary, passing the bar in 1780. Marshall entered politics and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1782, 1787 and 1795. In 1797, Marshall was appointed as one of three envoys sent on a diplomatic mission to France, the precursor to the XYZ Affair. Marshall was offered appointment to the United States Supreme Court in 1798 but turned it down in favor of practicing law. However in 1799, Marshall reentered politics and was elected briefly to the United States House of Representatives. Marshall did not remain in the House of Representatives for long as John Adams appointed him Secretary of State in 1800. In that year, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court resigned, leaving the spot vacant. In 1801, President Adams nominated Marshall Chief Justice of the United States and the Senate confirmed his appointment as 4th Chief Justice on January 27, 1801 however Marshall would remain Secretary of State throughout Adam’s term. A prominent federalist, Marshall was instrumental in establishing the Supreme Court as the final authority on the interpretation of the Constitution and in the strengthening the federal government in his 34 years as Chief Justice, the longest tenure ever held in that position. Marshall established the Judiciary as a branch of government coequal with the executive and legislative, something that possibly the framers of the Constitution never intended. Marshall participated in more than 1000 decisions and authored over 500 opinions himself; dominating the courts. Chief Justice John Marshall molded the development of the Constitution in America perhaps more so than anyone but the framers themselves. Marshall died on July 6, 1835 at the age of 79 a mammoth of the law and a champion of the federal government, changing the role of the judicial branch in the United States forever.
