October 3, 1851, he resigned from the court, having accepted "financial inducements" from a group of influential land owners who were hoping the court would reverse his decision in Woodworth v. Fulton (1850) 1 Cal. 295. His seat was filled by Governor John McDougall with the appointment of Hugh Murray. During 1851 to 1852, Bennett served as California Reporter of Decisions and, in 1853, he published the first volume of Supreme Court cases. After leaving the court, Bennett joined a law practice with Horace Hawes, William G. Wood, and Elisha Cook (the brother of Eli Cook, his former partner in New York) in the firm of Hawes, Wood & Cook. In 1852–1853, Bennett returned home to New York to visit his family. On his return to California, he continued to practice law, including real estate title and mining litigation. In May 1856, Bennett was a delegate from the Fourth Ward of San Francisco and served as president of the Republican Party Convention held in San Francisco. At the convention, the Party nominated him to run again for the California Supreme Court on the same platform as Edward Stanly for governor, but he lost the 1857 election for Chief Justice to Stephen J. Field. After the defeat, in 1858 Bennett returned to Washington, D.C., on business and to his home to New York for two years. In 1859, while in Washington, he successfully argued before the Supreme Court of the United States the pueblo land grant case involving Rancho Corral de Tierra (Vasquez). Back in California, he continued to practice law and appeared many times before the state Supreme Court. In 1863, he advertised a law partnership with H. S. Love, called Bennett & Love. In January 1867, he and Elisha Cook began a law practice and published the Pacific Law Magazine, targeted at the bar. Later, he formed the firm of Bennett, Machin & Owen. Bennett maintained an active role in public life. In May 1869, he delivered another speech in San Francisco at the completion of the Pacific Railroad. In July 1869, continuing his interest in politics, his name was put forward at the state Republican convention to fill the Supreme Court vacancy from the retirement of Oscar L. Shafter. However, O. L. Pratt received the nomination instead. In October 1879, Bennett ran for Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court under the New Constitution Party, but garnered only