John Marshall and His Contribution to Law

John Marshall was an American Jurist, attorney and statesman who is known for being an exceptional figure to serve in all the three branches of the US Federal government. John has been the most impactful justice of the Supreme Court of the United States for writing numerous landmark judgments on constitutional values and demonstrating the Doctrine of Separation of Power with utmost effect. Additionally, he is known for his defence of slavery tradition and founding the rule of Judicial Review in the Legal−political history of America.

Early Life and Career (1755 − 1835)

John Marshall was born into a wealthy political family in the United States and had the privilege of interacting with some of the brilliant legal−political personalities of the time. Marshall was a self−taught person as he received his education primarily at home owing to his parents’ independent beliefs. Although he received his law degree from the College of William and Mary.

Further, Marshall joined the US Military in 1775 and served in several battles during the American Revolutionary War. Though he also joined the Continental Army briefly, however, when he won the elections to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1782, he dedicated himself entirely to politics.

A Brilliant Statesman and Attorney

Marshall was brought up in an influential family of politicians therefore he was always interested in the government of the United States and he joined politics at the age of 27 when he was elected as a Delegate of Virginia due to his incredible contributions in the Army during war time. Further he was elected to the Council of State as well.

Though he had a spectacular career as a statesman, he also developed his law practice and emerged as an excellent attorney in Richmond who represented many famous personalities in frequently successful cases. Moreover, he was nominated for the position of US Attorney of Virginia, although he rejected the offer twice to focus on his own law practice, yet he acted as the interim state attorney at the insistence of US President Washington.

Marshall was also appointed as the Diplomat to France in 1797 for a negotiation commission. After his return to the US, he was trying to resume his practice and rejected the offer of appointment to the Supreme Court as associate judge, however he contested and won the election for the Congress on Washington’s request. Thereafter, he was appointed as the Secretary of State and served passionately to his work.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Among the justices on the US Supreme Court, Marshall had the fourth−longest tenure as a chief justice. He has been widely regarded as the most influential justice of the apex court of the country because of his brilliance in striking balance in the different wings of government and reiterating the broad scope of judicial power while widening the powers of Federal government within the Constitutional scheme.

Marshall is not only credited for his judicial remarks but also attributed for making the Supreme Court as the most crucial force in the entire constitutional−federal framework of the United States because before that the US Supreme Court was just an institution and not a living symbol and spirit of justice. He also changed the functioning of the Court including transitions in the method of announcing judgments and the dress code of judges.

Marshall pronounced more than thousand judgments while writing half of them himself in his three−decade long career as a judge.

His major contributions are:

• In the case of Marbury v. Madison it was held for the first time that a federal or state law can be struck down by courts if it is violative of constitutional provisions.

• In the case ofMcCulloch v. Maryland, the SC affirmed the doctrine of implied powers granted to Congress by the Constitution. Additionally, it was held that the Court has the power to interpret the Constitution and the democratic government is based on the principles of federalism.

• Further, in the case of Cohens v. Virginia, the supremacy of federal court over state courts was established.

Hence, John Marshall established and infused the constitutional values of the US Constitution in all the three branches of the government while securing the independence of judiciary and autonomy of Congress.

Conclusion

John Marshall has been correctly known as an expert attorney for having a successful law practice; as a brilliant statesman for serving in several reputed government positions; and as an exceptional jurist for making the Supreme Court of the US, supreme in all aspects of its functioning.

Moreover, his judicial decisions as the Chief Justice introduced the Constitutional and federal principles into practical lives of the US and reinvented the whole legal and political system of the country across all the states. Hence, he is celebrated for manifesting the constitutionalism of the United States in real terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who was John Marshall?

Ans: John Marshall (1755−1835) was an American statesman, lawyer, and jurist who served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 to 1835. He is known for his significant contributions to shaping American constitutional law.

Q: What is John Marshall best known for?

Ans: John Marshall is best known for his role in strengthening the power and influence of the U.S. Supreme Court, particularly through his landmark decisions that established the principle of judicial review and clarified the supremacy of federal law over state law.

Q: What is the reason that John Marshall’s name is associated with slavery?

Ans: Marshall was brought up in a household with more than necessary slaves and he himself owned numerous slaves. Moreover, though he represented numerous slaves in court, he always lost. Even though in one of his own cases, slavery was held against the principles of natural law, yet he was always eager to deal in slave trading.

Q: What were the two crucial structural changes made by Marshall in the US Supreme Court?

Ans: Marshall started the practice of wearing a simple black gown in court and rejected the habit of his contemporaries and predecessors to wear fancy−jewelled coats. Also, he brought an end to the method of delivering separate judgements by judges and instead started the method of combining the majority and minority opinions of judges in one judgement.

Q: What is Marbury v. Madison?

Ans: Marbury v. Madison (1803) is a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in which Chief Justice John Marshall established the principle of judicial review, asserting the Court's authority to review and invalidate laws that are unconstitutional.

Q: What is the significance of Gibbons v. Ogden?

Ans: In Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), Marshall's opinion clarified Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce. The decision set a precedent for the federal government's authority over interstate commerce and navigation.

Q: How did Marshall's decisions affect Native American rights?

Ans: Marshall's decisions, such as Worcester v. Georgia (1832), recognized Native American tribes as "domestic dependent nations" and upheld their autonomy to some extent. However, subsequent actions often disregarded these decisions.

Q: What was Marshall's legacy?

Ans: John Marshall's legacy lies in his contributions to American constitutional law and the consolidation of the federal government's power. His decisions solidified the authority of the U.S. Supreme Court and established key principles that continue to shape the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.