Iredell, James

Born October 5, 1751, in Lewes, England
Died October 20, 1799, in Edenton, NC

Federal Judicial Service:
Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States
Nominated by George Washington on February 8, 1790, to a new seat authorized by 1 Stat. 73. Confirmed by the Senate on February 10, 1790, and received commission on February 10, 1790. Service terminated on October 20, 1799, due to death.

Supreme Court Oath:
May 12, 1790

Allotment as Circuit Justice:

Southern Circuit, Spring 1790-Fall 1790, Fall 1791-Spring 1792, Spring 1794, Spring 1798
Middle Circuit, Spring 1791-Fall 1791, Spring 1793, Fall 1795-Spring 1796, Spring 1797, Spring 1799
Eastern Circuit, Fall 1792, Spring 1795

Education:
Read law, 1770

Professional Career:

Comptroller of customs, Edenton, North Carolina, 1768-1774
Private practice, Edenton, North Carolina, 1773-1790
Collector of customs, Port Roanoke, North Carolina, 1774-1776
Member, commission to draft and revise the laws of North Carolina, 1776
Judge, North Carolina Superior Court, 1777
Attorney general, State of North Carolina, 1779-1781

Bibliography

Carson, Hampton L. “James Wilson and James Iredell: A Parallel and a Contrast.” American Bar Association Journal, vol. 7, no. 3 (Mar. 1921): 123-31.

Casto, William R. “James Iredell and the American Origins of Judicial Review.” Connecticut Law Review, vol. 27, no. 2 (Winter 1995): 329-64.

Connor, H.G. “James Iredell: Lawyer, Statesman, Judge, 1751-1799.” University of Pennsylvania Law Review and American Law Register, vol. 60, no. 4 (Jan 1912): 225-53.

Davis, Junius. “James Iredell.” Green Bag, vol. 12, no. 4 (Apr. 1900): 165-72.

Dozier, Martha. “James Iredell – A Character Sketch.” North Carolina Law Journal, vol. 1, no. 6 (Aug. 1900): 197-204.

Gerber, Scott Douglas. Seriatim: The Supreme Court before John Marshall. New York: NYU Press, 1998.

Hickox, Charles F. III and Andrew C. Laviano. “James Iredell and the English Origins of American Judicial Review.” Anglo-American Law Review, vol. 23 (Jan.-Mar. 1994): 100-12.

Higginbotham, Don. “James Iredell’s Efforts to Preserve the First British Empire.” North Carolina Historical Review, vol. 49, no. 2 (Apr. 1972): 127-45.

Whichard, Willis P. Justice James Iredell. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press, 2002.

Manuscript Collections

Duke University
Durham, N.C.
Papers of James Iredell, Sr., and James Iredell, Jr., 1724-1890.
1,052 items and 6 vols.; finding aid; collection contains correspondence and business, political, and family papers.

Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
James Iredell address and letter, 1793-1799.
2 items; typewritten transcripts.

North Carolina State Archives
Raleigh, N.C.
Iredell-Johnston family papers, 1694-1875.
ca. 4,650 items; collection includes notes, memoranda, essays, agreements, appointments, military papers, personal accounts, and other papers.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Southern Historical Collection
Chapel Hill, N.C.
James Iredell papers, 1771-1799.
2 linear ft.; finding aid; collection includes casebooks (1786-1799) of federal circuit courts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia, as well as personal accounts, legal writings, and an essay on the causes of the American Revolution.

University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Va.
James Iredell papers, 1767-1856.
122 items; microform; correspondence.

Yale University
New Haven, Conn.
James Irdell, Sr., diary, 1770-1774.
1 microform reel; diary Iredell kept while a customs official and law student.

Federal Judicial Center

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Iredell, James