Commentaries by Heather Barr

On February 1, 1790, the Supreme Court of the United States convened for the first time. The meeting was held at the Merchants' Exchange Building in New York City, then the national capital. Chief Justice John Jay presided over the first Court with five Associate Justices: James Wilson, John Blair, James Iredell, William Cushing, and John Rutledge. However, due to the limitations of 18th-century transportation technology, the meeting was postponed by Jay until the following day. The first meeting was held primarily to organize the Supreme Court. The Justices did not hear their first actual case, Chrisholm v. Georgia, until 1792.

Sir Edward Coke, Chief Justice of the King's Bench and author of law reports and commentaries (including, most famously, Coke on Littleton), was born on February 1, 1552. Learn more about Sir Edward Coke.