Marshall ruled on a case that directly determined the value of his own landholdings.

Evidence

Chief Justice Marshall participated in the decision despite a clear conflict of interest, since his vast land holdings would have been adversely affected by a different decision. — Renae Ditmer, Johnson v. M’Intosh, 27

Categorization

• SHARE: A precise, gleefully damning fact for anyone who enjoys Supreme Court history trivia.
• SEED: Angle: the Supreme Court’s founding property doctrine was authored by a justice with a personal financial stake in the outcome.