Gabriel Duvall

Details

Birth

December 6, 1752 · Prince Georges County, Maryland

Death

March 6, 1844

Law school

Read law (Unspecified local attorneys)

Prior experience

Various legal and public service prior to appointment

Biography

Gabriel Duvall (December 6, 1752 – March 6, 1844) was an American lawyer and politician who served as Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1811 to 1835. Born in Prince George's County, Maryland, to a prominent planter family, Duvall received his early education at home before studying law. He was admitted to the Maryland bar and established a legal practice in Annapolis. Duvall entered politics early, serving as a clerk to the Maryland State Convention in 1775 and later as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1787 to 1794. He subsequently served in the United States House of Representatives from 1794 to 1796 and as Chief Justice of the General Court of Maryland from 1796 to 1802. President Thomas Jefferson appointed Duvall as Comptroller of the Treasury in 1802, a position he held until President James Madison nominated him to the Supreme Court in 1811. During his 24-year tenure on the Court, Duvall consistently aligned with Chief Justice John Marshall's nationalist jurisprudence, supporting federal power and a strong central government. Despite his long service, Duvall authored relatively few majority opinions and is often considered one of the Court's more obscure justices. His most notable contribution came in the slavery case *Mima Queen and Child v. Hepburn* (1813), where he was the sole dissenter in favor of allowing hearsay evidence to prove freedom claims by enslaved persons. Duvall's judicial philosophy emphasized strict adherence to legal precedent and constitutional interpretation. Growing deafness in his later years limited his participation in Court proceedings, leading to his resignation in 1835 at age 82. He died in 1844, remembered primarily for his quiet competence and unwavering support of federal authority during the Marshall Court era.

Notable opinions

• Martin v. Hunter's Lessee
• Fletcher v. Peck