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Samuel Chase

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description Samuel Chase Overview

Samuel Chase (1741–1811) was a signer of the Declaration of Independence from Maryland and an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1796 to 1811, appointed by President George Washington. An outspoken Federalist, he was impeached by the House of Representatives in 1804 on charges of partisan conduct on the bench, stemming partly from his handling of sedition and treason trials. The Senate acquitted him in 1805, an outcome that reinforced the principle that judges should not be removed over their rulings.

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Who was Samuel Chase?

Samuel Chase was a Maryland signer of the Declaration of Independence and an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He lived from 1741 to 1811.

Who appointed Samuel Chase to the Supreme Court?

President George Washington appointed Chase to the Supreme Court in 1796. Chase served as an associate justice until 1811.

Why was Samuel Chase impeached?

The House of Representatives impeached him in 1804. The charges reflected disputes over his outspoken Federalist conduct and behavior as a judge.

Was Samuel Chase convicted after impeachment?

The impeachment did not remove him from the Supreme Court. His Senate trial ended without the conviction needed to force him from office, and he remained a justice until his death in 1811.