Justice Rufus Wheeler Peckham
Today’s Justice of the Day is: RUFUS WHEELER PECKHAM. Justice Peckham was born on this day, November 8, in 1838.
Justice Peckham was born in Albany, New York, in the state where he was raised, would spend nearly his entire professional life and from which he would be appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States. He did not receive any formal university education, which was not uncommon – even for highly accomplished men and women – in his era.
Justice Peckham entered private practice in his city of birth in 1859, and would continue in that line of work until his election to be a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York in 1883. Concurrent with his private legal career, he also served as District Attorney of Albany County, New York, 1869-1872, and was Corporation Counsel of the City of Albany, 1881-1883. Justice Peckham served on the Supreme Court of New York for three years, after which he was elected to be a Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, where he would remain until his appointment to the SCUS. During this time, Justice Peckham was also a key player in New York State Democratic Party politics, playing a key role in ensuring that the New York City Democratic machine did not take control of the entire statewide party apparatus.
Justice Peckham was nominated by President Grover Cleveland on December 3, 1895, to a seat vacated by Justice Howell E. Jackson. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 9, and received his commission that day. Justice Peckham took the Judicial Oath to officially join the SCUS on January 6, 1869, and served his entire tenure on the Fuller Court. His service was terminated on October 24, 1909, due to his death.
Justice Peckham was not particularly influential while on the SCUS, and he is not especially well remembered today. Sadly, he joined the majority in upholding the odious decision in the most high-profile case of his time, Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).