The Marshall Court is generally seen as a period of mass revitalization in the Early Republic’s judicial system. Many give credit to one man, John Marshall, as the man who remade the Supreme Court into a co-equal branch of government. While Marshall has earned his praise, he did not do it alone. With the partnership of brilliant lawyers, politicians, and jurists, he helped reform the Supreme Court into a check on a nation that was steadily shifting into a bastion of democracy. With the help of men like Bushrod Washington, Joseph Story, and others, what started as a constitutional afterthought in 1801 became, by 1835, a body with equal footing with the legislative and executive branches of government.

Join Preservation Virginia in the debut of “Brothers of the Bench: The Justices of the Marshall Court” virtual program on April 27th at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 and pre-registration is required. Preservation Virginia members attend for free; not a member? Join today!