Robert H. Jackson

Details

Birth

February 13, 1892 · Spring Creek, Pennsylvania

Death

October 9, 1954

Law school

albany

Prior experience

Various legal and public service prior to appointment

Biography

Robert Houghton Jackson (February 13, 1892 – October 9, 1954) was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1941 to 1954. Born in Spring Creek, Pennsylvania, and raised in Frewsburg, New York, Jackson completed only one year of law school at Albany Law School before beginning his legal career in 1913. Despite his limited formal education, he became a prominent attorney in Jamestown, New York, and developed expertise in corporate and tax law. His political career began during the New Deal era when he served in various positions in the Roosevelt administration, including Solicitor General (1938-1940) and Attorney General (1940-1941), before President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him to the Supreme Court. Jackson's judicial philosophy emphasized judicial restraint and deference to democratic institutions, though he strongly supported individual civil liberties and civil rights. He believed courts should interpret the Constitution based on its text and original meaning while allowing for democratic processes to shape policy. His most significant opinion came in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943), where he wrote the majority decision protecting students' First Amendment right to refuse to salute the flag. Jackson is perhaps equally remembered for taking a leave of absence from the Court to serve as chief prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials (1945-1946), where he delivered the opening statement against Nazi war criminals. His eloquent writing style and principled approach to constitutional interpretation established him as one of the Court's most respected justices. Jackson's legacy includes his influential opinions on religious freedom, due process, and his contributions to international law through his work at Nuremberg.

Notable opinions

• West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette
• Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer