Supreme Court decides Barron v. Baltimore

Background. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the federal judiciary, its composition and procedures originally established by the 1st Congress under Article Three through the Judiciary Act of 1789. The court's power and prestige grew substantially during the Marshall Court (1801–1835). As a general matter of institutional practice, when the chief justice is in the majority he decides who writes the opinion of the court; otherwise the most senior justice in the majority assigns the task. This opinion-assignment description reflects general institutional context rather than a documented feature of the 1833 Barron proceedings.

Decision. The Court ruled that the Bill of Rights did not apply to state governments, establishing a precedent that remained until the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. This landmark case helped define the concept of federalism in US constitutional law, clarifying the boundaries between federal and state authority.

Procedural Context. Arguments for the case were heard on February 8 and 11, 1833. The decision was handed down on February 16, 1833. The Court's authority over state court cases turning on constitutional questions was established under Article Three, though the exact powers were initially outlined generally by the framers.