Test Your Knowledge
of the Justices
of the Michigan Supreme Court

1) This eccentric man was the first Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court and was instrumental in planning the city of Detroit and in the creation of the University of Michigan. (Hint: Last name begins with a W) :

2) This popular Territorial Supreme Court Justice was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson despite having no college education or experience as a judge. (Hint: Last name begins with a B) :

3) After his service to the Bench ended in 1827, this justice's health failed significantly and he became afflicted with delusions, one of which was that his legs were made of straw and that he could not walk. (Hint: Last name begins with an H)

4) Several Michigan justices have also served as Governors of Michigan. They are: (Hint: The first letter of their last names, in chronological order, are W, F, R, K, W, and S)

5) This justice was the first Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. His personal life bears noting in that he left his wife behind in New York when he moved to Michigan in 1821. As the story goes, after not hearing from him in a number of years she equipped herself with a horse and wagon and came to Michigan to find him. She did find him, struggling with debt, and promptly turned around and went back to New York. (Hint: Last name begins with an F)

6) It was said of this popular justice, who won election to the Court after receiving all but five votes in his district, "criminals themselves have repeatedly testified of their esteem and love for him". (Hint: Last name begins with a G)

7) After resigning from the Bench in 1857, this justice served as Consul to the Sandwich Islands, headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Upon his return to Marshall, Michigan, he built "Honolulu House", which now serves as headquarters of the Marshall Historical Society. (Hint: Last name begins with a P)

8) This justice, who served the Court from 1852 until 1857, effectively died of a scratched finger. (Hint: Last name begins with a J)

9) The only father and son pair that have both served on the Michigan Supreme Court. (Hint: Last names begin with a W)

10) This justice began teaching school at the age of 13 in order to support his family. He was later the victim of the plot of a young lady who mistook a comment of his for a marriage proposal. When he explained that he had not intended to propose, she threatened to sue him for breach of promise. To avoid the legal battle, he conceded and married her; the marriage ended in divorce some years later. (Hint: Last name begins with a C)

11) This Irish-born justice immigrated to the United States at 16. He attended the University of Michigan's Law school and eventually served on the Court with two of his former instructors. (Hint: Last name begins with an M)

12) This justice, a Civil War amputee, is thought to be the first Michigan-born man to serve on the Court. (Hint: Last name begins with an M)

13) In 1863, this future justice raised Michigan's first African American Infantry Unit and served with the unit until the end of the Civil War. (Hint: Last name begins with a C)

14) This justice avoided the limelight at all costs. It is said that during five campaigns for various political office, he never made a political speech. (Hint: Last name begins with a B)

15) Dying of illness shortly after his appointment to the Court, this justice served the Court for only six weeks. (Hint: Last name begins with an F)

16) This justice was given the decoration of Legion of Honor by the government of France in token of that country's gratitude for a great and voluntary service - researching and gathering one of the most complete and unique libraries in the world on the life of Emperor Napoleon I. (Hint: Last name begins with a W)

17) This justice was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government for his service in World War I, having been wounded in battle three times and gassed once. (Hint: Last name begins with a T)

18) This justice amputated his own right leg after being injured in a World War I battle. (Hint: Last name begins with a K)

19) This justice was the first man to win a seat on the Court by defeating an incumbent in an election. His campaign was deemed a "postcard" campaign because he sent all his friends postcards asking them to vote for him. He credited his "many friends" for his victory. (Hint: Last name begins with an R)

20) This justice's official court portrait is historically inaccurate; he is holding a copy of a book that would not be published for 17 years after his service on the Court had concluded. (Hint: Last name begins with a B)

21) Although he served on the Court for only a short time, this justice is famous for having written several books based on his experiences as a lawyer, one of which was turned into an Academy Award nominated film. (Hint: Last name begins with a V)

22) These two justices shared the same first and last name. Because they served together, they were given nicknames based on their middle initials; one was called Thomas the Good and the other was called Thomas the Mighty.

23) This justice was the first African American to serve on the Michigan Supreme Court. (Hint: Last name begins with an S)

24) This justice, who is the youngest man to serve as Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, founded a Lansing law school. (Hint: Last name begins with a B)

25) This Canadian-born man received the Purple Heart before his 19th birthday; he lost both of his legs after volunteering to identify and clear land mines on the battlefields of France during World War II. (Hint: Last name begins with an S)

26) This justice, who was known for his signature green and white polka dot bow tie, was nicknamed "Soapy" since his maternal grandfather was the founder of a line of shaving lotions. (Hint: Last name begins with a W)

27) This justice had the privilege of meeting Franklin D. Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover as a child due to her mother's position as Chief of the Department of Justice responsible for the provisions of the Volstead Act. She later became the first female justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. (Hint: Last name begins with a C)

28) This justice was the first Hispanic-American woman to be elected to a state Supreme Court. (Hint: Last name begins with an R)

If you answer 22 or more of the questions correctly, we'll send you a free copy of the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Reference Guide

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Test Your Knowledgeof the Justices of the Michigan Supreme Court

Test Your Knowledge
of the Justices
of the Michigan Supreme Court