Definitions for "John Marshall"
United States jurist; as chief justice of the Supreme Court he established the principles of United States constitutional law (1755-1835)
Virginia lawyer and politician who became chief justice of the Supreme Court; his legal decisions helped shape the role of the Supreme Court in American government
John Marshall (September 24, 1755 – July 6, 1835) was an American statesman and jurist who more than anyone else shaped American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court a center of power. Marshall was the fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving from February 4, 1801 until his death. He served in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1799 to June 7, 1800, and, under President John Adams, was Secretary of State from June 6, 1800 to March 4, 1801.