Waite, Morrison Remick

Born November 29, 1816, in Lyme, CT
Died March 23, 1888, in Washington, DC

Federal Judicial Service:
Chief Justice, Supreme Court of the United States
Nominated by Ulysses Grant on January 19, 1874, to a seat vacated by Salmon P. Chase. Confirmed by the Senate on January 21, 1874, and received commission on January 21, 1874. Service terminated on March 23, 1888, due to death.

Supreme Court Oath:
March 4, 1874

Allotment as Circuit Justice:

Fourth Circuit, April 1, 1874-March 23, 1888

Education:
Yale College, 1837
Read law, 1839

Professional Career:

Private practice, Maumee City, Ohio, 1839-1850
State representative, Ohio, 1849-1850
Private practice, Toledo, Ohio, 1850-1874
Advisor, Gov. David Tod, Ohio, 1863
U.S. representative, Geneva Arbitration Tribunal, 1871
President, Ohio constitutional convention, 1873

Bibliography

Kens, Paul. The Supreme Court under Morrison R. Waite, 1874-1888. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2010.

Magrath, C. Peter. “Justice Waite and the Twin Relic: Reynolds v. United States.” Vanderbilt Law Review, vol. 18, no. 2 (Mar. 1965): 507-44.

Magrath, C. Peter. Morrison R. Waite: The Triumph of Character. New York: Macmillan, 1963.

Stephenson, D. Grier. “The Chief Justice as Leader: The Case of Morrison Remick Waite.” William and Mary Law Review, vol. 14, no. 4 (Summer 1973): 899-927.

Trimble, Bruce R. Chief Justice Waite, Defender of the Public Interest. New York: Russell & Russell, 1970.

Manuscript Collections

Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Morrison R. Waite papers, 1818-1888.
21 ft. (20,000 items); finding aid; restricted; collection contains Waite's official correspondence, letter books, U.S. Supreme Court docket books, manuscripts and proofs of U.S. circuit court and Supreme Court opinions, assignments, and miscellaneous material.

Federal Judicial Center

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Waite, Morrison Remick