{"id":54869,"date":"2014-06-10T17:48:19","date_gmt":"2014-06-10T22:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/supreme\/supreme_court\/justices\/pastjustices\/taney.html"},"modified":"2014-06-10T17:48:19","modified_gmt":"2014-06-10T22:48:19","slug":"taney","status":"publish","type":"supreme","link":"https:\/\/supreme.findlaw.com\/supreme_court\/justices\/pastjustices\/taney.html","title":{"rendered":"Roger Taney"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n \n
\n

Roger Taney<\/h1>\n
\n
\n

This article was edited and reviewed by FindLaw Attorney Writers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n \n Roger Taney<\/b>\n \n \n\n\n
\n

Position:<\/b> Chief Justice<\/p>

Family:<\/b>
Roger Brooke Taney was born on March 17, 1777. He was raised in Calvert County, Maryland. He died on October 12, 1864. <\/p>

Education: <\/b>
He was educated privately and attended Dickinson College where he graduated first in his class.<\/p>

Law Practice:<\/b>
He apprenticed with an Annapolis lawyer for three years and was admitted to the bar. Taney returned to private law practice in 1821, after serving a term in the Maryland Senate. He remained active in politics, but joined with the Jacksonian Democrats when the Federalist Party expired.<\/p>

Government Service: <\/b>
Taney was a representative in the Maryland House of Delegates for one term; he served as a Federalist. He backed the War of 1812 and split with his party over the issue. He led Jackson’s presidential campaign in Maryland. Jackson later selected Taney as his attorney general.<\/p>

Judicial Offices:<\/b>
In 1835, Jackson nominated Taney to replace Gabriel Duvall as associate justice. The Senate postponed the confirmation vote indefinitely. Less than a year later, Jackson sent up Taney’s name to replace John Marshall as chief justice. He was commissioned on March 15, 1836 and he was sworn in on March 28, 1836. Taney sat on the Court until his death in 1864.<\/p>

Legacy: <\/b>
He made significant contributions to American constitutional law, but the case most closely associated with Taney inflicted enormous injury to the Court as an institution. The case was Dred Scott v. Sandford. It was decided in 1855, the same year that Taney’s wife and youngest daughter died of yellow fever.<\/p>

<\/b><\/p>

More Biographical Information:<\/b><\/p>