Marshall, John 1755-1835
US jurist

Born near Germantown, Virginia, he served (1775-79) in the Continental army during the American Revolution and afterwards studied law and became active in Virginia state politics. He was a special envoy to France during the XYZ affair (1797-98), and he served briefly in Congress and as Secretary of State under President John Adams before being appointed by Adams as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1801. During his 34-year tenure, he established the power and independence of the Supreme Court as well as the fundamental principles of constitutional law. He ended the practice by which each justice wrote a separate opinion, instead producing a single majority opinion that stood as the verdict of the Court. His most important decision was in the case of Marbury v. Madison (1803), which established the principle of judicial review, asserting the Court's authority to determine the constitutionality of legislation. He also wrote majority opinions in decisions that upheld the inviolability of contracts with states and the superiority of federal over state authority. He is the single most influential figure in US legal history.

Bibliography: Albert J Beveridge, The Life of John Marshall (4 vols, 1916-19)