ROBERT TRIMBLE was born in Augusta County, Virginia (now West Virginia), on November 17, 1776, and grew up in Kentucky. Trimble attended what is now Transylvania University and read law under two attorneys. He was admitted to the bar in 1803 and established a law practice in Paris, Kentucky. Trimble was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1802 and served one term. In 1807, he was appointed to the Kentucky Court of Appeals. He resigned the following year and returned to his law practice. Trimble served as United States District Attorney from 1813 to 1817 but declined several other public offices, including the Chief Justiceship of Kentucky in 1810. President James Madison appointed Trimble to the District Court of Kentucky in 1817, and he served eight years in that position. President John Quincy Adams nominated Trimble to the Supreme Court of the United States on April 11, 1826. The Senate confirmed the appointment on May 9, 1826. Trimble served on the Supreme Court for two years and died on August 25, 1828, at the age of fifty-one.
Members support the Society’s efforts to increase awareness of the Court’s contributions to our nation’s constitutional heritage. Benefits include: Court history publications, special event invitations, discounts.
SCHS sponsored events cover Supreme Court history themes, from early landmark figures and cases such as McCullough, to civics, labor, women’s rights, immigration, Constitutional controversies.
Documentaries covering landmark points on the timeline of Supreme Court history, including: FDR’s court packing controversy, the contested 1876 election + John Marshall & Marbury v. Madison.
Visit the Supreme Court Historical Society’s CIVICS website to learn about the history and cases of the Supreme Court of the United States and gain insights into key figures associated with the Court.
A timeline of Supreme Court history, including the Marshall and Warren Courts + landmark cases: West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, and significant rulings in women’s rights court cases.