List of criminal cases in the Marshall Court

The Marshall Court (1801–1835) heard forty-one criminal cases. The Court heard two writs of error from the United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia under § 8 of the second Judiciary Act of 1801, six original habeas petitions under § 14 of the Judiciary Act of 1789, thirty-one certificates of division under § 6 of the Judiciary Act of 1802, and two writs of error from the state courts under § 25 of the Judiciary Act of 1789.

The criminal jurisdiction of the Marshall Court was greatly limited by the Court's disclaiming of appellate jurisdiction from the United States circuit courts by means of a writ of error in United States v. More (1805), as well as the Court's disclaiming the authority to issue writs of habeas corpus to prisoners detained pursuant to a post-conviction criminal sentence in Ex parte Kearney (1822) and Ex parte Watkins (1830). Certificates of division could only be issued in criminal cases heard by a two-judge panel consisting of a United States district court judge and a Supreme Court justice riding circuit (the district judge or the circuit rider could also hear cases alone). Further, certificates could not be issued with regard to the legal sufficiency of the evidence—whether on a motion for a new trial, as held in United States v. Daniel (1821), or a motion for a directed verdict, as held in United States v. Bailey (1835).

CaseCitationYearCrime(s)AuthorDissent(s)Source of jurisdictionLower courtCircuit riderNotesUnited States v. Simms1803Faro gambling (Virginia law)MarshallWrit of errorC.C.D.C.United States v. More1805Common law exaction of an illegal fee colour of his office (Virginia law)MarshallWrit of errorC.C.D.C.The decision of the D.C. circuit court is reported at United States v. More, 7 U.S. (3 Cranch) 159, 160 n.* (1805).James M. O'Fallon, The Case of Benjamin More: A Lost Episode in the Struggle over Repeal of the 1801 Judiciary Act, 11 43 (1993).Ex parte Burford1806MarshallOriginal habeasC.C.D.C. (habeas); Alexandria County justices of the peace (warrant)Ex parte Bollman1807TreasonCrimes Act of 1790, § 1, 1 Stat. 112, 112. and the Neutrality Act of 1794Neutrality Act of 1794, § 5, 1 Stat. 381, 384.MarshallJohnsonOriginal habeasC.C.D.C.United States v. Bollman, 24 F. Cas. 1189 (C.C.D.C. 1807) (No. 14,622).Eric M. Freedman, Milestones in Habeas Corpus: Part I: Just Because John Marshall Said It, Doesn't Make It So: Ex Parte Bollman and the Illusory Prohibition on the Federal Writ of Habeas Corpus for State Prisoners in the Judiciary Act of 1789, 51 531 (2000).United States v. Cantril1807CounterfeitingAct of June 27, 1798, 1 Stat. 573.MarshallCertificate of divisionJohnson, 1985, at 32–33; Keith E. Whittington, Judicial Review of Congress Before the Civil War, 97 1257, 1289–91 (2009).United States v. Hudson1812Common law libelJohnsonCertificate of divisionLivingstonGary D. Rowe, The Sound of Silence: United States v. Hudson & Goodwin, the Jeffersonian Ascendancy, and the Abolition of Federal Common Law Crimes, 101 919 (1992).United States v. Tyler1812EmbargoAct of Jan. 9, 1809, 2 Stat. 506.LivingstonCertificate of divisionLivingstonUnited States v. Barber1815EmbargoAct of July 6, 1812, § 2, 2 Stat. 778, 779–80.Certificate of divisionLivingston, 1985, at 116.United States v. Coolidge1816Common law piracyJohnsonCertificate of divisionUnited States v. Coolidge, 25 F. Cas. 619 (C.C.D. Mass. 1813) (No. 14,857).StoryUnited States v. Sheldon1817EmbargoWashingtonCertificate of divisionLivingstonUnited States v. Bevans1818PiracyCrimes Act of 1790, § 8, 1 Stat. 112, 113–14.MarshallCertificate of divisionUnited States v. Bevans, 24 F. Cas. 1138 (C.C.D. Mass. 1816) (No. 14,589).Story, 1985, at 40–41.United States v. Palmer1818PiracyMarshallJohnsonCertificate of divisionStoryG. Edward White, The Marshall Court and International Law: The Piracy Cases, 83 727 (1989).United States v. Klintock1820PiracyMarshallCertificate of divisionMarshallUnited States v. Smith1820PiracyStoryLivingstonCertificate of divisionMarshallUnited States v. Furlong1820PiracyJohnsonCertificate of divisionJohnson, 1985, at 141–42.United States v. Holmes1820PiracyWashingtonCertificate of divisionStory, 1985, at 134.United States v. Wiltberger1820PiracyCrimes Act of 1790, § 12, 1 Stat. 112, 115.MarshallCertificate of divisionUnited States v. Wiltberger, 28 F. Cas. 727 (C.C.E.D. Pa. 1819) (No. 16,738).Washington, 1985, at 41.Cohens v. Virginia1821Lottery (Virginia law)MarshallWrit of errorQuarterly Session Court for the Borough of Norfolk, VirginiaMark A. Graber, The Passive-Aggressive Virtues: Cohens v. Virginia and the Problematic Establishment of Judicial Power, 12 67 (1995).United States v. Daniel1821PiracyCrimes Act of 1790, § 5, 1 Stat. 112, 113.MarshallCertificate of divisionC.C.D.S.C.Johnson, 1985, at 143.Ex parte Kearney1822Contempt of courtStoryOriginal habeasC.C.D.C.United States v. Perez1824PiracyAct of Mar. 3, 1819, §5, 3 Stat. 510, 513–14.StoryCertificate of divisionC.C.S.D.N.Y.United States v. Perez, 27 F. Cas. 504 (C.C.S.D.N.Y. 1823) (No. 16,033).Thompson (New York: J.W. Bell ed., 1823).United States v. Amedy1826Maritime insurance fraudAct of Mar. 26, 1804, § 2, 2 Stat. 290, 290.StoryCertificate of divisionMarshall, 1985, at 42–43.United States v. Kelly1826PiracyWashingtonCertificate of divisionUnited States v. Kelly, 26 F. Cas. 700 (C.C.E.D. Pa. 1825) (No. 15,516).WashingtonUnited States v. Ortega1826Assault on ambassadorCrimes Act of 1790, § 28, 1 Stat. 112, 118.WashingtonCertificate of divisionUnited States v. Ortega, 27 F. Cas. 359 (C.C.E.D. Pa. 1825) (No. 15,971).Washington, 1985, at 46.United States v. Gooding1827Slave tradingSlave Trade Act of 1818, §§ 2–3, 3 Stat. 450, 451.StoryCertificate of divisionDuvall, 1985, at 198.United States v. Marchant1827PiracyStoryCertificate of divisionUnited States v. White, 28 F. Cas. 580 (C.C.D. Mass. 1826) (No. 16,682).StoryEx parte Watkins1830Common law fraud (Maryland law)MarshallOriginal habeasC.C.D.C.United States v. Paul1832Assimilative burglary (New York law)Crimes Act of 1825, § 3, 4 Stat. 115, 115.MarshallCertificate of divisionC.C.S.D.N.Y.ThompsonUnited States v. Reyburn1832Neutrality Act of 1818Neutrality Act of 1818, § 3, 3 Stat. 447, 448.ThompsonCertificate of divisionDuvallUnited States v. Quincy1832Neutrality Act of 1818ThompsonCertificate of divisionDuvallWorcester v. Georgia1832Unlicensed presence in Cherokee country (Georgia law)MarshallBaldwinWrit of errorSuperior Court for the County of Gwinnett, GeorgiaEdwin A. Miles, After John Marshall's Decision: Worcester v. Georgia and the Nullification Crisis, 39 519 (1973).United States v. Phillips1832Interference with diplomatic immunityCrimes Act of 1790, § 26, 1 Stat. 112, 118.Certificate of divisionBaldwinPrivileges of Foreign Agents, , May 18, 1830, reprinted in, , May 29, 1830. United States v. Turner1833CounterfeitingAct of Apr. 10, 1816, § 18, 3 Stat. 266, 275.StoryCertificate of divisionC.C.D.N.C.MarshallUnited States v. Wilson1833Mail robberyAct of Mar. 3, 1825, § 22, 4 Stat. 108, 121.MarshallCertificate of divisionUnited States v. Wilson, 28 F. Cas. 699 (C.C.E.D. Pa. 1830) (No. 16,730).BaldwinUnited States v. Brewster1833CounterfeitingCertificate of divisionBaldwinUnited States v. Mills1833Mail robberyAct of Mar. 3, 1824, § 24, 4 Stat. 102, 109.ThompsonCertificate of divisionC.C.D.N.C.MarshallEx parte Watkins1833Common law fraud (Maryland law)StoryJohnson; McLeanOriginal habeasC.C.D.C.United States v. Watkins, 28 F. Cas. 419 (C.C.D.C. 1829) (No. 16,649); United States v. Watkins, 28 F. Cas. 490 (C.C.D.C. 1833) (No. 16,650).United States v. Randenbush1834CounterfeitingCrimes Act of 1825, § 18, 4 Stat. 115, 120.MarshallCertificate of divisionBaldwinUnited States v. Bailey1835False statementsAct of Mar. 1, 1823, 3 Stat. 770.StoryMcLeanCertificate of divisionMcLeanUnited States v. Bailey1835False statementsMarshallCertificate of divisionMcLeanEx parte Milburn1835Faro gambling (Maryland law)StoryOriginal habeasC.C.D.C.United States v. Milburn, 26 F. Cas. 1242 (C.C.D.C. 1824) (No. 15,764); United States v. Milburn, 26 F. Cas. 1242 (C.C.D.C. 1834) (No. 15,765); United States v. Milburn, 26 F. Cas. 1243 (C.C.D.C. 1835) (No. 15,766); United States v. Milburn, 26 F. Cas. 1252 (C.C.D.C. 1836) (No. 15,768); United States v. Milburn, 26 F. Cas. 1253 (C.C.D.C. 1838) (No. 15,767).

Notes

References (1985).