Pliny T. Merrick - Judicial Career

Judicial Career

After graduation from Harvard University in 1814, Pliny T. Merrick was admitted to the Worcester bar in 1817. He practiced law in Worcester, Charlton, Swansea and Taunton until June, 1824, when he returned to Worcester. He served as Worcester County's district attorney from 1824 through 1843. In 1844 he was Judge of the Municipal Court. In 1843 he was named a judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He resigned this appointment in 1848, and was reappointed in 1851. In 1949-50 he was senior defense counsel (co-counsel with Edward Dexter Sohier) in the trial of Harvard University Professor John White Webster, accused of murdering of Harvard patron Dr. George Parkman. The prosecutors for the trial were John H. Clifford, then Massachusetts Attorney-General and the prosecutor of all capital murder cases, and George Bemis, Esq, and independent attorney. In 1853 Judge Merrick was promoted to the bench of the Supreme Judicial Court by the same John H. Clifford, now Governor of Massachusetts (served 1853-1854.) He received the degree of LL.D. from Harvard in 1853. He served on the bench of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court until 1864.

He was a representative of Worcester County in both branches of the state legislature. He was an Overseer of Harvard University from 1852-1856.He also served for two years as president of the Worcester and Nashua Railroad. In 1855 Judge Merrick moved to Boston and lived there until his death 1867.