Samuel Blatchford

Details

Birth

March 9, 1820 · New York, New York

Death

July 7, 1893

Law school

columbia university; read law (Seward, William H.)

Prior experience

U.s. circuit court judge

Biography

Samuel Blatchford (March 9, 1820 – July 7, 1893) was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1882 until his death. Born in New York City to a prominent family, Blatchford graduated from Columbia College in 1837 at age 17. After studying law, he was admitted to the New York bar in 1842 and practiced law in New York City, where he developed expertise in admiralty and patent law. He served as a war correspondent during the Civil War before President Rutherford B. Hayes appointed him to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in 1867. President Chester A. Arthur elevated him to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1878. Blatchford's nomination to the Supreme Court came in 1882 when President Arthur selected him as his third choice after two previous nominees declined. His confirmation was swift and unanimous, largely due to his extensive federal judicial experience and reputation for legal scholarship. On the Court, Blatchford was known for his methodical approach and expertise in commercial law, admiralty cases, and patent disputes. He authored the majority opinion in Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Co. v. Minnesota (1890), which established important precedent regarding due process and rate regulation, ruling that courts could review the reasonableness of state-regulated railroad rates. Blatchford also wrote significant decisions in patent law cases, drawing on his pre-judicial expertise. Though not considered among the most influential justices, he was respected for his careful legal reasoning and contributed to the Court's jurisprudence during the Gilded Age, particularly in cases involving commerce and property rights.

Notable opinions

• Hans v. Louisiana
• Chae Chan Ping v. United States