Robert Hanson Harrison

(b. Charles County, Md., 1745; d. Charles County, 20 April 1790.), lawyer and judge. The eldest son of Richard and Dorothy Hanson Harrison, little is known of Harrison's early life and legal education. He began law practice in Alexandria, Virginia, where he enjoyed success, numbering among his clients George Washington, with whom he also established a close and lasting friendship. For much of the Revolutionary War he served as Washington's secretary, resigning in March 1781 to accept appointment as chief judge of the General Court of Maryland, a position he held until his death.

Probably because of Harrison's loyal friendship and solid reputation among the legal circles of Maryland, Washington on 24 September 1789 nominated him as one of his original six appointments to the Supreme Court and the Senate confirmed the nomination two days later. Harrison declined the appointment because of failing health, but Washington persuaded him to reconsider and intending to accept the position, Harrison began a journey to New York City on 14 January 1790. One week later a sudden illness forced him to terminate his trip and to decline irrevocably the appointment to the Court. He had also recently declined appointment as chancellor of Maryland.

Harrison's record as chief justice of the General Court of Maryland contains no hints about what he might have done as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. The reported cases of his tenure concerned narrow questions of real estate law or other issues that were of no relevance to the significant business of the Supreme Court.

— Robert M. Ireland

Robert Hanson Harrison was a lawyer and judge who was one of George Washington's original six appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Harrison was born in 1745, in Charles County, Maryland. Though little has been written about his upbringing and education, it is known that he established a successful law practice in Alexandria, Virginia, where Washington became a client and close friend. Harrison later served as Washington's personal secretary throughout much of the Revolutionary War. He resigned from this post in March 1781 to become chief justice of the General Court of Maryland.

On September 24, 1789, President Washington signed the Judiciary Act of 1789 into law. This act established the Supreme Court, consisting of a chief justice and five associate justices. The act also established lower federal circuit and district courts and gave the Supreme Court the power to review, as well as affirm or reverse, the rulings of those courts. On the day the law was enacted, Washington nominated his longtime friend Harrison to the Court.

The Senate confirmed Harrison's nomination two days later with little debate. Harrison initially declined the appointment because of poor health, but Washington persuaded him to accept the seat. A week after Harrison departed for New York City to begin work on the Court, he was stricken with a sudden illness and was forced to again decline the appointment. Washington eventually appointed James Iredell to the seat intended for Harrison.

Despite illness, Harrison remained chief justice of the General Court of Maryland until his death on April 20, 1790. During his tenure on the Maryland court, Harrison dealt mainly with real estate law and other legal matters; he had little opportunity to write about more sweeping issues of constitutional law. As a result, his legal record indicates little about the effect he would have had if he had been able to serve his appointed term on the U.S. Supreme Court.