John Archibald Campbell - Supreme Court

Supreme Court

In 1852, Campbell was an attorney for Myra Clark Gaines against Richard Relf before the Supreme Court.

In 1852 the death of John McKinley created a vacancy on the Supreme Court. President Millard Fillmore, a Whig, made three nominations to fill the vacancy, all of whom were denied confirmation by the Democratic-controlled Senate. After the election of Franklin Pierce, a Democrat, a group of sitting Supreme Court justices approached Pierce to recommend Campbell as a nominee; this is one of the few known times sitting justices have made recommendations for new nominations. Pierce, who was hoping to stave off insurrection by appeasing the South, agreed to nominate the Alabaman Campbell. The nomination was made on March 21, 1853, and was approved by the Senate on the same day.