Description

John Marshall s strong personality and many Supreme Court decisions established the fourth chief justice as the most significant figure in the court s early years. His interpretation of the Constitution profoundly influenced the federal judiciary s authority over state courts and laws and wielded an enormous impact on American commerce. This volume contains some of Marshall s landmark decisions-Marbury v. Madison, Fletcher v. Peck, Dartmouth College v. Woodward, McCulloch v. Maryland, Cohens v. Virginia, and Gibbons v. Ogden-as well as his autobiographical account, his speech about ratifying the Constitution, and the preface to his biography of George Washington. Marshall s writings are essential reading for students, lawyers, politicians, and anyone interested in understanding the Supreme Court s powerful role in the US government and its laws. —