Joseph R. Lamar
Joseph R. Lamar was a prominent figure in the American legal system, particularly known for his tenure as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. He studied law at Washington and Lee University and was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1878. Lamar's political career began with two terms in the Georgia legislature from 1886 to 1889, during which he contributed to a commission that recodified the state's civil law. In 1904, he became a member of the Georgia Supreme Court, establishing himself as a leading legal authority.
In 1911, he was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President William H. Taft. During his time on the bench, Lamar typically aligned with the majority, producing only eight dissenting opinions. His judicial writing was characterized by clarity and conciseness, though it lacked artistic flair. Among his notable opinions was the decision in *Gompers v. Buck's Stove and Range Co.*, which addressed the enforcement of injunctions, and *United States v. Midwest Oil Co.*, which affirmed presidential authority over public oil lands. Additionally, in 1914, Lamar played a diplomatic role by representing President Woodrow Wilson in negotiations related to U.S.-Mexico relations.
Subject Terms
Joseph R. Lamar
Nominated by: William H. Taft
Significance: An esteemed legal historian and jurist, Lamar believed that law must slowly adjust to changing times. The clear, logical style expressed in opinions he wrote while on the Supreme Court enhanced the ability of executive officials to provide the necessary details for implementing laws.
After studying law at Washington and Lee University, Lamar was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1878. He served two terms in the Georgia legislature (1886-1889) and on a commission that recodified the state’s civil law. Establishing himself as one of the leading members of the legal profession, he was appointed to the Georgia supreme court in 1904.
Lamar was appointed to the Supreme Court by President William H. Taft in 1911. Lamar typically voted with the majority, writing only eight dissents. He wrote clearly and tersely but without creativity. Lamar’s best-known opinion was rendered in Gompers v. Buck’s Stove and Range Co. (1911), which upheld the right of courts to punish violations of injunctions, but at the same time set aside Gompers’s conviction on procedural grounds. Lamar’s most far-reaching opinion came in the United States v. Midwest Oil Co.(1915), which upheld the president’s right to withhold public oil lands from private exploitation. In 1914 Lamar represented President Woodrow Wilson at a conference involving sensitive negotiations to settle some differences with Mexico.