| West v. Barnes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Argued August 2, 1791 Decided August 3, 1791 | |
| Full case name | West v. Barnes |
| Citations | 2 U.S. 401 (more) 2 Dall. 401 |
| Holding | |
| The Court held that "Writs of error to remove causes to this court from inferior courts, can regularly issue only from the clerk's office of the court." | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinion | |
| Majority | Unanimous |
West v. Barnes, 2 U.S. (2 Dall.) 401 (1791), was the first United States Supreme Court decision and the earliest case calling for oral argument.[1][2] Van Staphorst v. Maryland (1791) was docketed prior to West v. Barnes but settled before the Court heard the case: West was argued on August 2 and decided on August 3, 1791. Collet v. Collet (1792) was the first appellate case docketed with the Court but was dropped before it could be heard.[1] Supreme Court Reporter Alexander Dallas did not publish the justices' full opinions in West v. Barnes, which were published in various newspapers around the country at the time, but he published an abbreviated summary of the decision.
The Court ultimately decided the case on procedural grounds, holding that a writ of error (an appeal) must be issued within ten days by the clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States as required by federal statute, and not by a lower court located closer to the plaintiff in Rhode Island. As a result of this case, Congress ultimately changed this procedure with the ninth section of the Process and Compensation Act of 1792, allowing circuit courts to issue these writs, thereby assisting citizens living far away from the capital.[3]
- ^ a b Timothy W. Larson, "West v. Barnes: The First Supreme Court Decision", Rhode Island Bar Association Journal, July/Aug 2010, pg. 13-15 (59-AUG RIBJ 13)
- ^ "U.S. Supreme Court Records of Earliest caselaw PDF (accessed April 24, 2009)" (PDF).
- ^ James R. Perry, The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789-1800, Volume 6, "West v. Barnes," pp. 3-27. [1]