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Supreme
Court of the United States
The Court found in favor of Sandford and
stated that Scott should remain a slave,
that as a slave he is not a citizen of the
U.S. and thus not eligible to bring suit
in a federal court, and that as a slave
he is personal property and thus has never
been free.
The
Court further declared unconstitutional
the provision in the Missouri Compromise
that permitted Congress to prohibit slavery
in the territories.
Dred
Scott v. Sandford (1857) |
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| State
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Federal |
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Missouri
Supreme Court
Reversed the decision by the circuit court
saying Dred Scott and his family were
not free.
Dred Scott v. Emerson
(1852) |
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U.S.
Court for the District of Missouri
Sandford (Mrs. Emerson's brother who was
now responsible for the estate) had moved
to New York, leaving Scott in Missouri.
Because of a peculiar turn of events in
the Missouri court system and law, Scott
was in the unusual position of deciding
whether to appeal directly from the Missouri
Superme Court to the U.S. Supremem Court
or to start his case over again in federal
district court. Scott chose to bring a new
suit in federal court on the basis that
he and the defendant were now citizens of
different states. The jury decided that
Dred Scott and his family were not free.
Dred Scott v. Sandford
(1854)
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Note:
This case did not follow the standard appellate
procedure. Today, an individual's only option
after receiving an unfavorable state supreme
court ruling is usually to appeal to the United
States Supreme Court and not a lower federal
court. |
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| |
|
Missouri
Circuit Court of St. Louis County
The
jury in a second trial decided that the
Scotts deserve to be free, based on their
years of residence in the non-slave territories
of Wisconsin and Illinois.
Dred Scott v. Emerson
(1850) |
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| |
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Missouri
Circuit Court of St. Louis County
On behalf of himself, his wife, and his
two daughters, Dred Scott sued his owner
in state court to win his freedom. The
circuit court ruled in favor of Mrs. Emerson
(the owner), dismissing the Scotts' case
but allowing the Scotts to re-file their
suit.
Dred Scott v. Emerson
(1847) |
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| |
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