The Dakota Territorial Supreme Court was the

highest court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

of the Dakota Territory, then an

organized incorporated territory of the United States The territory of the United States and its overseas possessions has evolved over time, from the colonial era to the present day. It includes formally organized territories, proposed and failed states, unrecognized breakaway states, internationa ...

. It was the first Territorial Supreme Court in American history, and was established under

Article One of the United States Constitution Article One of the United States Constitution establishes the legislative branch of the Federal government of the United States, federal government, the United States Congress. Under Article One, Congress is a bicameral legislature consisting of ...

, with justices were appointed directly by the President of the United States. The court sat in

Yankton, South Dakota Yankton is a city in and the county seat of Yankton County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 15,411 at the 2020 census, and it is the principal city of the Yankton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the entirety of Y ...

, and existed from March 2, 1861, to November 2, 1889. The first court consisted of three justices: Philemon Bliss,

Lorenzo P. Williston Lorenzo Parsons Williston (in some sources, George P. Williston; 1815–1887) was an American attorney, judge, and politician. He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and a founding judge on the territorial supreme courts for ...

, and

Joseph Lanier Williams Joseph Lanier Williams (October 23, 1810December 14, 1865) was an American politician that represented Tennessee's third district in the United States House of Representatives. Biography Williams was born near Knoxville, Tennessee on October 2 ...

, appointed by President Abraham Lincoln. The court heard no cases until December 3, 1867. In 1879 the court enlarged to four justices, then six in 1884, and eight in 1888.

Justices

Following is a list of justices of the Dakota Territorial Supreme Court, this was that existed. When the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota, the court was abolished by operation of law, and its function was taken over by the

North Dakota Supreme Court The North Dakota Supreme Court is the highest court of law in the state of North Dakota. The Court rules on questions of law in appeals from the state's district courts. Each of the five justices are elected on a no-party ballot for ten year te ...

and the South Dakota Supreme Court.

References

{{Lists of US Justices Dakota Territory judges * * Courts and tribunals established in 1861 Courts and tribunals disestablished in 1889