CHIEF JUSTICE, the title of the presid ing justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and of the presiding justice of the sev eral State Supreme Courts. Various other courts in the United States are also presided over by a chief justice. The chief justice of the United States is the highest judicial officer of the republic. Among his functions are those of administering the oath of office to the President and Vice-President at their inaugura tion, and of presiding over the Senate when that body is resolved into a high court for the trial of impeachments. In dignity he ranks next after the President. In England the superior judges of the King's (or Queen's) bench and of the Court of Common Pleas are called chief justices, the former being known as Lord Chief Justice of England, and ranking all other judicial officers except the Chancellor.
(See CHIEF JUSTICE OR Loan CHIEF Jusricr.) The following is a list of the persons appointed as chief justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from its establishment, some of whom, however, never served: John Jay, of New York, appointed by Wash ington, 26 Sept. 1789; resigned 1791.
John Rutledge, of South Carolina, appointed by Washington, 1 July 1795; rejected by the Senate, 15 Dec. 1795.
William Cushing, of Massachusetts, ap pointed by Washington, 26 Jan. 1796; declined promotion from his associate justieeship.
Oliver Ellsworth, of Connecticut, appointed by Washington, 4 March 1796; resigned 1800.
John Jay, of New York, appointed by John Adams, 19 Dec. 1800; declined.
John Marshall, of Virginia, appointed by John Adams, 31 Jan. 1801; died, 6 July 1835.
Roger Brooke Taney, of Maryland, ap pointed by Jackson, 15 March 1836; died, 12 Oct. 1864.
Salmon Portland Chase, of Ohio, appointed by Lincoln, 6 Dec. 1864; died, 7 May 1873.
George H. Williams, of Oregon, and Caleb Cushing, of Massachusetts, appointed by Grant 1873; rejected.
Morrison R. Waite, of Ohio, appointed by Grant, 21 Jan. 1874; died, 23 March Melville W. Fuller, of Illinois, appointed by Cleveland, 20 July 1888. died, 4 July 1910.
Edward Douglass White, of Louisiana, ap pointed by Taft, December 1910.