Robert C. Grier
Robert C. Grier was an influential American jurist who served as a Justice on the United States Supreme Court from 1846 to 1870. Born in 1794, he graduated from Dickinson College in 1812 and was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1817. Grier found success in the legal field and was appointed president judge of the district court of Allegheny County in 1833. His nomination to the Supreme Court came from President James K. Polk, filling a vacancy left by the death of Justice Henry Baldwin.
During his tenure, Grier was known for his support of presidential powers, particularly during the Civil War, where he notably aligned with President Abraham Lincoln. He authored significant opinions, including those in the Prize Cases, which upheld Lincoln's blockade of Confederate ports. Grier also participated in key decisions regarding states' rights and the implications of the Fugitive Slave Act. His judicial philosophy reflected a complex engagement with the issues of the time, emphasizing legal interpretations over political affiliations. Grier's legacy is marked by his contributions to the evolving landscape of American law during a period of significant national strife.
Subject Terms
Robert C. Grier
Nominated by: James K. Polk
Significance: A Supreme Court justice noted for his forthright and scholarly opinions, Grier typically upheld the power of the states. In 1863 his opinion extended the president’s powers by providing legal authority for the chief executive’s use of emergency power before congressional authorization.
Grier graduated from Dickinson College in 1812 and was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1817. He enjoyed notable success in law and was appointed president judge of the district court of Allegheny County in 1833. In 1846 he was appointed to the Supreme Court by President James K. Polk to fill the vacancy left by the death of Henry Baldwin.
Although a Democrat, Grier was an avid supporter of President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. He concurred in Scott v. Sandford (1857), and in his most important opinion, he spoke for the Court in the 1863 Prize Cases, validating President Lincoln’s proclamation of a blockade of Confederate ports and the subsequent seizure of neutral shipping. Grier did not consider armed opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act to be treason because it did not amount to levying war. He concurred with the Court’s decision in Cummings v. Missouri (1867), which denied the legal requirement that certain job applicants had to swear an oath that they had not opposed the Union during the Civil War.