Our First Supreme Court
Initially the Supreme Court was composed of a Chief Justice and 5 Associate Justices. Over the Court's first 12 years, it took 12 men to fill those 6 places. The early Supreme Court enjoyed neither the prestige nor the power that it does today. President Washington appointed the finest legal minds in the United States to the Supreme Court, but was plagued by resignations. Some appointees even turned down the "honor" of serving on the court.
John Jay was The Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, 1789-1795.
Our First Supreme Court
Initially the Supreme Court was composed of a Chief Justice and 5 Associate Justices. Over the Court's first 12 years, it took 12 men to fill those 6 places. The early Supreme Court enjoyed neither the prestige nor the power that it does today. President Washington appointed the finest legal minds in the United States to the Supreme Court, but was plagued by resignations. Some appointees even turned down the "honor" of serving on the court.
John Jay was The Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, 1789-1795.