Oliver Ellsworth

Details

Birth

April 29, 1745 · Windsor, Connecticut

Death

November 26, 1807

Law school

princeton university; read law (Self taught)

Prior experience

Various legal and public service prior to appointment

Biography

Oliver Ellsworth (April 29, 1745 – November 26, 1807) was an American lawyer, politician, and jurist who served as the third Chief Justice of the United States from 1796 to 1800. Born in Windsor, Connecticut, to a farming family, Ellsworth attended Yale College before transferring to the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), where he graduated in 1766. After studying law and gaining admission to the Connecticut bar in 1771, he established a successful legal practice in Hartford. Ellsworth served in the Continental Congress and played a crucial role at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where he helped draft the Connecticut Compromise and coined the term "United States" in the Constitution's preamble. Ellsworth's path to the Supreme Court began with his instrumental role in drafting the Judiciary Act of 1789 as a U.S. Senator, which established the federal court system's structure. President George Washington nominated him as Chief Justice in 1796 following John Jay's resignation. As Chief Justice, Ellsworth advocated for a strong federal judiciary and helped establish important precedents for the Court's authority. His judicial philosophy emphasized federalism and the supremacy of federal law over state authority. Though he wrote relatively few major opinions during his brief tenure, his most significant contribution was the decision in *United States v. La Vengeance* (1796), which affirmed federal jurisdiction in admiralty cases. Ellsworth resigned in 1800 due to health issues after serving as a diplomatic envoy to France. His lasting legacy lies in his foundational work creating America's judicial framework and his role in establishing the Supreme Court's institutional authority during the nation's formative years.

Notable opinions

• United States v. La Vengeance
• Hylton v. United States