Roger B. Taney

Biography

Roger Brooke Taney served as the fifth Chief Justice of the United States from 1836 until his death in 1864, presiding over one of the most consequential periods in American judicial history. Born in Maryland in 1777, Taney rose through the legal profession to become a prominent figure in the federal judiciary, where he authored numerous significant decisions that shaped constitutional interpretation.

Chief Justice Taney's tenure was marked by his involvement in landmark cases that addressed fundamental questions about the nature of the Constitution and the rights of citizens. His legacy remains complex and contested, reflecting the profound constitutional debates of his era. He was laid to rest in St. John's Cemetery, where his contributions to American jurisprudence continue to be studied and discussed by legal scholars and historians.