John Appleton (judge)
John Appleton (July 12, 1804 – February 7, 1891) was a prominent American legal reformer, jurist, and scholar in the fields of constitutional economics and classical liberalism.
John Appleton | |
|---|---|
| 6th Chief Justice of Maine | |
| In office October 24, 1862 – September 20, 1883 | |
| Appointed by | Governor Israel Washburn Jr. |
| Preceded by | John S. Tenney |
| Succeeded by | John A. Peters |
| Associate Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court | |
| In office May 11, 1852 – October 24, 1862 | |
| Appointed by | Governor John Hubbard |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 7, 1804 New Ipswich, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Died | February 7, 1891 (aged 86) Bangor, Maine, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mt. Hope Cemetery, Bangor, Maine |
| Spouse |
Sarah Newcomb Appleton (née Allen)
(m. 1834; died 1874)Annie V. Appleton (née Greely)
(m. 1876) |
| Children | John • Frederic • Sarah • Henry • Edward |
| Parent(s) | John Appleton, Sr. Elizabeth Appleton (née Peabody) |
| Alma mater | Bowdoin College (B.A.)(M.A.) |
Appleton is known for his jurisprudence in rules of evidence and individual rights, and was one of the first proponents of laissez-faire constitutionalism, decades before the doctrine was mainstreamed across the United States under the Lochner Court. Appleton corresponded regularly with famous British philosopher John Stuart Mill and was considered very influential on his work.
Appleton served as Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court from May 11, 1852, to September 19, 1883. While on the bench, Appleton led the court to strike down a number of post-Civil War economic subsidies passed by the Maine Legislature and local governments. Appleton famously argued that state and local authorities had little to no authority in encouraging the movement of capital to stimulate economic growth. Amongst his contemporaries, Appleton was also unusually sympathetic towards African-American equality.