William B. Woods
William B. Woods was a prominent American lawyer and jurist, best known for his tenure as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, appointed in 1880 by President Rutherford B. Hayes. Born in 1824, Woods graduated from Yale in 1845 and began his legal career after being admitted to the Ohio bar in 1847. His military service during the Civil War was significant, as he served in the Union army from 1862 to 1866, participating in key battles including Shiloh and Vicksburg, and ascending to the rank of brigadier general.
Post-war, Woods was actively involved in the Reconstruction efforts in Alabama, contributing to the federal government's policies in the region. During his time on the Supreme Court, he authored 207 opinions, primarily focused on legal disputes related to patents and property law, though he also addressed constitutional matters. Notably, in the case of United States v. Harris (1883), he argued that the Fourteenth Amendment did not empower Congress to punish civil rights violations between individuals. Additionally, in Presser v. Illinois (1886), Woods maintained that the Second Amendment applied to federal actions but not to state regulations. His judicial philosophy and rulings reflect the complexities of the legal landscape during a transformative period in American history.
Subject Terms
William B. Woods
Nominated by: Rutherford B. Hayes
Significance: While on the Supreme Court, Woods wrote more opinions than any other associate justice. He was noted for his understanding of complicated issues, particularly the civil rights of African Americans, patent cases, and interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
After graduating from Yale in 1845 and studying law in Newark, Ohio, Woods was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1847. Between 1862 and 1866, he served in the Union army in the Civil War, seeing action at Shiloh, Chickasaw, Vicksburg, and in General William T. Sherman’s march to the sea and rising to the rank of brigadier general. After the war, Woods went to Alabama and took an active part in the Reconstruction policies of the federal government.
In 1880 Woods was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Rutherford B. Hayes, becoming the first justice appointed from a Confederate state since 1853. Woods was a diligent worker, writing 207 opinions, most dealing with routine legal disputes involving patents, real property, and estate and trust cases. A few of his opinions touched on constitutional issues. In the United States v. Harris (1883), Woods asserted that the Fourteenth Amendment did not give Congress authority to enact laws that punished individuals for depriving other individuals of their civil rights. In Presser v. Illinois (1886), he maintained that the Second Amendment was applicable in federal but not state activities.