William Griffith (New Jersey attorney)
Encyclopedia
Biography
Born in Bound Brook, New JerseyBound Brook, New Jersey
Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. At the United States 2010 Census, the population was 10,402.Bound Brook was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 24, 1869, within portions of Bridgewater Township...
, Griffith read law to enter the bar in 1788. He was in private practice in Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
from 1789 to 1801, and was also a Surrogate, Burlington County, New Jersey from 1790 to 1799, and a member of the Common Council of the City of Burlington from 1793 to 1797.
On February 18, 1801, Griffith was nominated by President John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
to a new seat on the United States circuit court
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
for the Third Circuit, created by 2 Stat. 89. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on February 20, 1801, and received his commission the same day, but his service was terminated on July 1, 1802, due to abolition of the court.
He returned to private practice in Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
from 1802 to 1826, serving as a New Jersey state assemblyman
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
from 1818 to 1819 and from 1823 to 1824. He was a Mayor of Burlington, New Jersey from 1824 to 1826. In 1826, Griffith was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, but he died, in Burlington, before he could assume his duties.