Collected here are correspondence, papers, and legal
documents--including selected judicial opinions--of American jurist John
Marshall. Revolutionary officer, congressman, and secretary of state
before his appointment to the Supreme Court, Marshall served as the
Court's fourth Chief Justice. In this capacity, he helped define the
role of the Court and elevate its status, as he interpreted the
Constitution from the bench. The documents presented in these
volumes--with introductory material and notes--shed light not only on
Marshall's life and thought but on the evolution of American
jurisprudence as well.