Dawn Bonker
Hey, you can’t do that!
So said the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1810 case of Fletcher v. Peck, a landmark property rights case rife with political shenanigans and the subject of this year’s Madison Lecture.
The Madison Lecture, the School of Law’s annual portrayal of a landmark trial, is scheduled at 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 20, in Room 244 at the School of Law.
Fletcher v. Peck all began when corrupt the Georgia state legislature gave away large tracts of private land to favored supporters and land developers, overriding private contracts for the sale of that land by John Peck to Robert Fletcher. The legislature even burned copies of the bill of sale involving most of what is present day Alabama and Mississippi.
“The political hot potato ended up in front of John Marshall and the Supreme Court of the United States,” says Ronald L. Steiner, associate professor, School of Law.
It was the first time in the court’s history that it made the bold step of overriding state law.
“The Marshall Court staked its credibility on the principles of private property and the security of contracts against the political power of an inflamed majority,” Steiner says.
Anyone new to the Madison Lecture will find it to be a lively way to study historic law.
“The re-argument involves two lawyers (including former law school dean Eastman) making their case to a bench made up of the visiting jurist and eight student and alumni judges. The visiting judge presides as “Chief Justice” of our mock Supreme Court, beginning and ending the arguments, and takes the lead in asking questions. The students will also be able to pepper the lawyers with questions,” Steiner says.
This year’s jurist-in-residence is Janice Rogers Brown of the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit.
“We’re delighted to have such a prominent jurist as Judge Janice Rogers Brown visit with our students and participate in this informative but fun re-argument of a landmark case,” Steiner says.
A reception to honor former law dean John Eastman will follow in Kennedy Hall Lobby.
Admission is free and open to the public. RSVP to Gloria Davis at
gld@chapman.edu
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