John Adams judicial appointments
Encyclopedia
Following is a list of all United States federal judge
s appointed by President
John Adams
during his presidency. In total Adams appointed 23 judges, including three Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States
(including one Chief Justice), sixteen judges to the United States circuit court
s, and four judges to the United States district courts. Fourteen of the sixteen circuit court judges appointed by Adams were to positions created at the end of his tenure in office, in the Judiciary Act of 1801, 2 Stat. 89, which became known as the Midnight Judges Act. All of these offices were abolished by the repeal of this Act on July 1, 1802, by 2 Stat. 132. The remaining two were to judgeships for the District of Columbia, authorized under a different Act of Congress, not the Judiciary Act.
However, Adams made an indelible impact on the judiciary with the appointment of John Marshall
as Chief Justice
.
Also appointed, but declined: John Jay
(Chief Justice).
Also appointed, but declined: Thomas Bee
(5th circuit), Jared Ingersoll
(3rd circuit), Thomas Johnson (D.C. circuit), Charles Lee
(4th circuit), and John Sitgreaves
(5th circuit).
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
s appointed by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
during his presidency. In total Adams appointed 23 judges, including three Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
(including one Chief Justice), sixteen judges to the United States circuit court
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
s, and four judges to the United States district courts. Fourteen of the sixteen circuit court judges appointed by Adams were to positions created at the end of his tenure in office, in the Judiciary Act of 1801, 2 Stat. 89, which became known as the Midnight Judges Act. All of these offices were abolished by the repeal of this Act on July 1, 1802, by 2 Stat. 132. The remaining two were to judgeships for the District of Columbia, authorized under a different Act of Congress, not the Judiciary Act.
However, Adams made an indelible impact on the judiciary with the appointment of John Marshall
John Marshall
John Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
as Chief Justice
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
.
United States Supreme Court Justices
Justice | Seat | State | Began active service |
Ended active service |
Chief Justice Chief Justice of the United States The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States... |
Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... |
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Seat 5 | North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte... |
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Seat 1 | Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... |
Recess appointment Recess appointment A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in... ; formally nominated on December 19, 1798, confirmed by the United States Senate United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... on December 20, 1798, and received commission on December 20, 1798. |
Also appointed, but declined: John Jay
John Jay
John Jay was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States, and the first Chief Justice of the United States ....
(Chief Justice).
Circuit courts
Also appointed, but declined: Thomas Bee
Thomas Bee
Thomas Bee was an American planter, lawyer, and jurist from Charleston, South Carolina. He served as Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina and was a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1780 to 1782...
(5th circuit), Jared Ingersoll
Jared Ingersoll
Jared Ingersoll was an early American lawyer and statesman from Philadelphia.He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and signed the U.S. Constitution for Pennsylvania...
(3rd circuit), Thomas Johnson (D.C. circuit), Charles Lee
Charles Lee (Attorney General)
Charles Lee was an American lawyer from Virginia. He served as United States Attorney General from 1795 until 1801....
(4th circuit), and John Sitgreaves
John Sitgreaves
John Sitgreaves was a British-born American lawyer and jurist from New Bern, North Carolina. He was a delegate for North Carolina to the Continental Congress in 1785...
(5th circuit).
District courts
Judge | Court See List of United States district and territorial courts |
Began active service |
Ended active service |
D. Mass. United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, USA. The first court session was held in Boston in 1789. The second term was held in Salem in 1790 and until 1813 court session locations... |
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D.N.Y. | |||
D. Vt. United States District Court for the District of Vermont The United States District Court for the District of Vermont is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the federal district of Vermont. The court has locations in Brattleboro, Burlington, and Rutland. The Court was created under the Judiciary Act of 1791 under the jurisdiction of the... |
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D. Md. United States District Court for the District of Maryland The United States District Court for the District of Maryland is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Maryland.... |
Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 8, 1799, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 10, 1799, and received commission on December 10, 1799. |
Source
- Federal Judicial CenterFederal Judicial CenterThe Federal Judicial Center is the education and research agency of the United States federal courts. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1967, at the recommendation of the Judicial Conference of the United States....