Charles Evans Hughes

Charles Evans Hughes

Nonpartisan

Prior offices

Supreme Court of the United States

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Education

Bachelor's

Brown, 1881

Law

Read law, 1884

Personal

Birthplace

Glens Falls, N.Y.

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Charles Hughes was the eleventh Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He joined the Supreme Court as an Associate Justice in 1910 after a nomination from President William H. Taft. Hughes then resigned from the court in 1916 to return to private practice. He went on to succeed Taft as Chief Justice after a 1930 nomination from President Herbert Hoover. On June 30, 1941, Hughes assumed senior status. He served in this capacity until his death on August 27, 1948.

Hughes had an active political career before joining the court. He served as Governor of New York, was the 1916 Republican candidate for President of the United States and served as United States Secretary of State.

Education

Hughes received his undergraduate degree from Brown University in 1881 and a LL.B. from Columbia Law School in 1884.

Professional career

• 1930-1941: Chief Justice of the United States
• 1926-1930: Member, Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague
• 1925-1930: Attorney, private practice
• 1921-1925: United States Secretary of State
• 1916-1921: Attorney, private practice
• 1916: Republican candidate for President of the United States

Lost to Woodrow Wilson, receiving 46.12 percent of the vote

• 1910-1916: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
• 1907-1910: Governor of New York
• 1906: Special Assistant to United States Attorney General
• 1905-1906: Counsel, Armstrong Insurance Commission, New York Legislature
• 1905: Counsel, Stevens Gas Commission, New York Legislature
• 1893-1900: Special lecturer, New York University Law School
• 1893-1895: Special lecturer, Cornell Law School
• 1893-1906: Attorney, private practice
• 1891-1893: Professor of law, Cornell Law School
• 1884-1891: Attorney, private practice

Judicial nominations and appointments

Administrative State
Read more about the administrative state on Ballotpedia.

Supreme Court of the United States

Chief Justice

Hughes was nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States by President Herbert Hoover on February 3, 1930, to fill a seat vacated by William Howard Taft. He was confirmed by the Senate on February 13, 1930, and received commission that same day. On June 30, 1941, Hughes assumed senior status. He served in this capacity until his death on August 27, 1948. He was succeeded in the post of Chief Justice by Harlan Fiske Stone.

Associate Justice

Hughes was previously an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. He was nominated by President William Howard Taft on April 25, 1910, to fill a seat vacated by Justice David Josiah Brewer. He was confirmed by the Senate on May 2, 1910, and received commission that same day. He resigned on June 10, 1916, to return to private practice. He was succeeded to this post by John Hessin Clarke.

Noteworthy cases

Details
Author: Charles E. Hughes Vote Count: 5-4 Majority Justices: Brandeis, Stone, Roberts, Cardozo Minority Justices: Sutherland, Van Devanter, McReynolds, Butler

Minimum wage is constitutional (1937)

A 1932 Washington State Law, "Minimum Wages for Women," was established to protect women and children from working conditions that had "pernicious effects on their health and morals." The state determined a suitable wage at $14.50 for a 48 hour work week. The 5-4 decision resulted in the Court determining that minimum wage for women was constitutional. Because negotiations between employers and employees often favored employers' negotiating abilities due to economy and other issues, the Court felt that women were especially at a disadvantage. This landmark decision overturned Lochner v. New York and began the New Deal era for the United States.

Details
Author: Charles E. Hughes Vote Count: 5-4 Majority Justices: Brandeis, Stone, Roberts, Cardozo Minority Justices: Van Devanter, McReynolds, Sutherland, Butler

National Labor Rights Act is constitutional (1937)

Because Congress decided that labor disputes were an issue of interstate commerce with the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, Congress determined it had the power to regulate these disputes. As a result, Jones & Laughlin Steel Co. was charged by the National Labor Relations board for discriminating against union laborers. To determine if the Act was in line with the Commerce Clause, the Supreme Court was asked to hear the case. On April 12, 1937, the Court decided that the dispute did fall under the Commerce Clause. Part of the Act called for the workers' ability to bargain, which the Court saw as a necessary function in maintaining interstate commerce.

Details
Author: Charles E. Hughes Vote Count: 9-0 Majority Justices: Van Devanter, McReynolds, Brandeis, Sutherland, Butler, Stone, Roberts, Cordoza

Section 3 of the National Industrial Recovery Act is unconstitutional (1935)

See also: Nondelegation doctrine

Under Section 3 of the National Industrial Recovery Act, the president could control wages, weekly employment hours and the age of employees in the form of penal codes. The question brought before the Supreme Court was whether this power should actually be legislative power. The court issued a unanimous decision on May 27, 1935, in A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, holding that it did, in fact, violate the Constitution and was not an acceptable delegation of legislative power.

See also

• The Hughes Court
• Supreme Court of the United States
• West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish

External links

• The Supreme Court Historical Society, "The Hughes Court, 1930-1941"
• Michaelariens.com, "Biography"

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by: David Josiah Brewer	Supreme Court, Associate Justice 1910–1916	Succeeded by: John Hessin Clarke
Preceded by: William Howard Taft	Supreme Court 1930–1941 Seat #1	Succeeded by: Harlan Fiske Stone