<P> John Marshall ( September 24 , 1755 -- July 6 , 1835 ) was an American politician . He was the fourth Chief Justice of the United States ( 1801 -- 1835 ) . His court opinions helped lay the basis for United States constitutional law and many say he made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches . Previously , Marshall had been a leader of the Federalist Party in Virginia and served in the United States House of Representatives from 1799 to 1800 . He was Secretary of State under President John Adams from 1800 to 1801 and , at the age of 45 , became the last of the chief justices to be born in Colonial America . </P>
<P> John Marshall ( September 24 , 1755 -- July 6 , 1835 ) was an American politician . He was the fourth Chief Justice of the United States ( 1801 -- 1835 ) . His court opinions helped lay the basis for United States constitutional law and many say he made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches . Previously , Marshall had been a leader of the Federalist Party in Virginia and served in the United States House of Representatives from 1799 to 1800 . He was Secretary of State under President John Adams from 1800 to 1801 and , at the age of 45 , became the last of the chief justices to be born in Colonial America . </P>
who strengthened the influence of the supreme court
who strengthened the influence of the supreme court
John Marshall
John Marshall