Robert Morris (judge)

Robert Morris
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
In office June 1, 1802 – June 2, 1815
Appointed by	operation of law
Preceded by	Seat established by 2 Stat. 132
Succeeded by	William Sanford Pennington
In office August 28, 1790 – February 13, 1801
Appointed by	George Washington
Preceded by	David Brearley
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New Jersey Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of New Jersey
In office February 13, 1801 – June 1, 1802
Appointed by	operation of law
Preceded by	Seat established by 2 Stat. 89
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey
In office February 5, 1777 – May 25, 1779
Governor	William Livingston
Succeeded by	David Brearley
Personal details
Born	1745 (1745) New Brunswick, Province of New Jersey, British America
Died	June 2, 1815(1815-06-02) (aged 69–70) New Brunswick, New Jersey
Parent	Robert Hunter Morris (father)
Relatives	Lewis Morris
Education	read law

Robert Morris (1745 – June 2, 1815) was chief justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New Jersey and the United States District Court for the Western District of New Jersey.

Education and career

Born in 1745, in New Brunswick, Province of New Jersey, British America, Morris read law in 1770. He entered private practice in New Brunswick from 1770 to 1776. On September 6, 1776, by Joint Meeting of the New Jersey Legislature, Morris was appointed Clerk of Bergen County. On February 5, 1777, the Legislature named him Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, the office once held by his father. On November 6, 1778 Morris resigned as Bergen County Clerk. He continued to serve as Chief Justice until his resignation from that office on May 25, 1779. He resumed private practice in New Brunswick from 1779 to 1790.

Federal judicial service

Morris received a recess appointment from President George Washington on August 28, 1790, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey vacated by Judge David Brearley. He was nominated to the same position by President Washington on December 17, 1790. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 20, 1790, and received his commission the same day. Morris was reassigned by operation of law to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New Jersey and the United States District Court for the Western District of New Jersey on February 13, 1801, to a new joint seat authorized by 2 Stat. 89. Morris was reassigned by operation of law to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey on July 1, 1802, to a new seat authorized by 2 Stat. 132. His service terminated on June 2, 1815, due to his death in New Brunswick.

Family

Morris was the son of New Jersey Chief Justice Robert Hunter Morris and grandson of former Governor Lewis Morris.

Sources

• Robert Morris at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.