Gideon Cowell
Encyclopedia
Gideon Cowell was a farmer and first justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court
in 1747.
Cowell was untrained in the common law
. In the early days of the court, the legislature was distrustful of an independent judiciary and non-lawyer farmers were appointed as justices as late as 1819.
Rhode Island Supreme Court
The Rhode Island Supreme Court, founded in 1747, is the court of last resort in the U.S. State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The Court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. The current Justices of the Rhode Island Supreme Court are:*Chief Justice Paul A...
in 1747.
Cowell was untrained in the common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
. In the early days of the court, the legislature was distrustful of an independent judiciary and non-lawyer farmers were appointed as justices as late as 1819.