Law and Politics
After leaving the army, he read law in the Newark, New Jersey office of Elias Boudinot. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly in 1797, 1798, and 1799. He was elected to the New Jersey Legislative Council in 1801 and reelected in 1802. In 1802 he was admitted to the New Jersey State Bar. From 1803 to 1804 he served as the clerk for Essex County, New Jersey. He also served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 1803 to 1804. In 1805 he was elected to fill a vacancy in the New Jersey Supreme Court, where he remained until 1813. In 1812, Pennington was the Republican candidate for Governor of New Jersey and the following year won the gubernatorial election, becoming governor from 1813 to 1815.
On June 19, 1815, Pennington received a recess appointment from James Madison to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The position had been filled by Robert Morris. He was officially nominated on January 8, 1816 and confirmed by the United States Senate on January 9, 1816. He was seated as a judge on January 16, 1816.
He died on September 17, 1826 in Newark, New Jersey.
Read more about this topic: William Sanford Pennington
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