▁of ▁App e als , ▁the ▁highest ▁court ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁ ▁While ▁sitting ▁as ▁an ▁associate ▁judge ▁on ▁the ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als , ▁Pe ck ham ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Alb any ▁Law ▁School ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees . ▁ ▁His ▁appointment ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als ▁was ▁the ▁third ▁position ▁that ▁Pe ck ham ▁had ▁held ▁after ▁his ▁father , ▁who ▁had ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Alb any ▁D . A ., ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Supreme ▁Court , ▁and ▁finally ▁on ▁the ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁Ville ▁du ▁Hav re ▁s inking . ▁ ▁Pe ck ham ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁local ▁Democratic ▁politics , ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁New ▁York ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁Democratic ▁National ▁Convention . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁conf id ant ▁to ▁such ▁ty co ons ▁as ▁J . ▁Pier pont ▁Morgan , ▁Corn el ius ▁V ander b ilt , ▁and ▁John ▁D . ▁Rock ef eller . ▁ ▁Many ▁believed ▁these ▁relationships ▁pre dis posed ▁Pe ck ham ▁to ▁favor ▁business ▁interests ▁while ▁on ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁ ▁R uf us ▁Pe ck ham ' s ▁brother ▁Whe eler ▁was ▁a ▁nom ine e ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁by ▁President ▁Gro ver ▁Cleveland , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 4 . ▁ ▁However , ▁this ▁nom ination ▁was ▁caught ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of