List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 101


This is a list of cases reported in volume 101 of United States Reports, decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1879 and 1880.

Justices of the Supreme Court at the time of 101 U.S.

The Supreme Court is established by Article Three of [the United States Constitution|Article III, Section 1] of the Constitution of the United States, which says: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court...". The size of the Court is not specified; the Constitution leaves it to Congress to set the number of justices. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 Congress originally fixed the number of justices at six. Since 1789 Congress has varied the size of the Court from six to seven, nine, ten, and back to nine justices.
When the cases in 101 U.S. were decided the Court comprised the following nine members:
PortraitJusticeOfficeHome StateSucceededDate confirmed by the Senate
Tenure on Supreme Court
Morrison WaiteChief [Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States|Chief Justice]OhioSalmon P. Chase

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March 23, 1888
Nathan CliffordAssociate JusticeMaineBenjamin Robbins Curtis

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July 25, 1881
Noah Haynes SwayneAssociate JusticeOhioJohn McLean

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January 24, 1881
Samuel Freeman MillerAssociate JusticeIowaPeter Vivian Daniel

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October 13, 1890
Stephen Johnson FieldAssociate JusticeCalifornianewly created seat

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December 1, 1897
William StrongAssociate JusticePennsylvaniaRobert Cooper Grier

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December 14, 1880
Joseph P. BradleyAssociate JusticeNew Jerseynewly created seat

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January 22, 1892
Ward HuntAssociate JusticeNew YorkSamuel Nelson

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January 27, 1882
John Marshall HarlanAssociate JusticeKentuckyDavid Davis

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October 14, 1911

Notable Case in 101 U.S.

''Baker v. Selden''

Baker v. Selden, , is a copyright case explaining the idea-expression dichotomy. The Supreme Court held that a book did not give its author the right to exclude others from practicing what was described in the book, only the right to exclude reproduction of the material in the book. Exclusive rights to a useful art described in a book was only available via patent, not copyright.

Citation style

Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 the federal court structure at the time comprised District Courts, which had general trial jurisdiction; Circuit Courts, which had mixed trial and appellate jurisdiction; and the United States Supreme Court, which had appellate jurisdiction over the federal District and Circuit courts—and for certain issues over state courts. The Supreme Court also had limited original jurisdiction. There were one or more federal District Courts and/or Circuit Courts in each state, territory, or other geographical region.
Bluebook citation style is used for case names, citations, and jurisdictions.