Thomas McIntyre Cooley
1824-1898
In the 74 years of his life, Michigan
Supreme Court Justice Thomas M. Cooley compiled the most distinguished
legal record of any man whose name has been associated with the jurisprudence
of Michigan.
After a successful career as a city clerk, newspaper editor, and circuit court commissioner, Justice Cooley turned to the practice of law. He was appointed to compile the statutes of the state, a work that he completed in one year. The Compiled Laws of the State of Michigan: Published by Authority. Compiled and Arranged Under an Act of the Legislature, Approved February 2, 1857, KFM4230 1857 .A23, Strosacker Room. When this work was completed, he was appointed the official reporter for the Michigan Supreme Court. Justice Cooley was appointed to the high court in 1864.
His Works in the Thomas. E. Brennan Law Library
Thomas M. Cooley receives Honorary Degree
Justice Cooley was one of the very first faculty members of the University of Michigan Law School when it opened in 1859. As a professor at the law school, he taught constitutional law, real property, trust, estates, and domestic property. Justice Cooley authored countless articles on legal subjects and wrote several full-length works on constitutional limitations, Blackstone's Commentaries, Story's Commentaries, and Torts. See, Commentaries on the Laws of England: In Four Books / by Sir William Blackstone ... together with a copious analysis of the contents; and notes with reference to English and American decisions and statutes to date which illustrate or change the law of the text; also, a full table of abbreviations, and some considerations regarding the study of law, KD660 .B52 1884, Rare Books.
His writings are still cited in court opinions, State ex rel. Pope v. Xantus Health Plan of Tennessee, No. M2000-00120-COA-R10-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. May 17, 2000) available at http://www.tba.org/Opinion_Flash/op_2000/op-06_073.html and legal scholars continue to discuss his interpretations. Robert F. Williams, Interpreting State Constitutions, 2000 A.B.A. Appellate Judges Seminar, available at http://camlaw.rutgers.edu/site/faculty/pdf/williams1.pdf. Two of his works, A Treatise on the Constitutional Limitations: Which Rest Upon the Legislative Power of the States of the American Union and The General Principles of Constitutional Law in the United States of America, are included in the Liberty Library of Constitutional Classics.
As a Michigan Supreme Court Justice,
Cooley sat on the high court with Justices Campbell, Christiancy, and Graves.
Today, these four men are remembered as the "Big
Four" of Michigan law for their work in developing the foundation of
Michigan jurisprudence. Justice Cooley's reputation soon spread to every
state and federal court, and his opinions were widely cited. Justice Cooley
wrote many of the opinions for the court including People ex rel. Sutherland
v. Governor, 29 Mich. 320 (1874), which remains a benchmark in the
separation of powers among the three branches of government.
Retiring from the Supreme Court in 1885, Justice Cooley was soon appointed receiver of the Wabash Railway. Shortly afterward, he was chosen to head the new federal Interstate Commerce Commission.
Small in stature, gentle and scholarly in demeanor, Thomas M. Cooley, in truth, was a giant among his fellows. He enjoyed universal respect and admiration in his lifetime. The judgment of posterity has made that verdict unanimous.
More Information on Thomas McIntyre Cooley
University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library - Faculty Papers
Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society
Michigan Historic Paintings
- Thomas M. Cooley, L.L.D.; Jay Prof. of Law
- The Big Four
- Presentation of Portrait of Justices Christiancy, Campbell, Graves and, Cooley, March 7, 1972
Michigan Lawyers in History--Thomas McIntyre Cooley: Michigan's Most Influential Lawyer by William J. Fleener, Jr.
His Works in the Thomas E. Brennan Law Library
Constitutional History of the United States as Seen in the Development of American Law: A Course of Lectures Before the Political Science Association of the University of Michigan (1889)
- KF4541.Z9 C59 1993, 2nd Floor
The Elements of Torts
- KF1250 .C57 1895b, Lower Level
The General Principles of Constitutional Law in the United States of America
- KF4550.Z9 C678 1880, Rare Books & 2nd Floor
Liability of Public Officers to Private Actions for Neglect of Official Duty
- KF1306.A2 C6 1877, Rare Books
Michigan: A History of Governments (1885)
- F566 .C77, Rare Books
Principles that Should Govern in the Framing of Tax Laws: A Paper Read Before the American Social Science Association at Cincinnati, April 22, 1878
- KF6289.5 .C6 1878, Rare Books
A Treatise on the Constitutional Limitations: Which Rest Upon the Legislative Power of the States of the American Union
- KF4600 .C6 1868b, 2nd Floor
- KF4600 .C6 1878, 2nd Floor
- KF4600 .C6 1883b, 2nd Floor
- KF4600 .C6 1890, Rare Books
A Treatise on the Law of Taxation: Including the Law of Local Assessments
- KF6289 .C6 1876, 2nd Floor
- KF6289 .C6 1886, Rare Books
A Treatise on the Law of Torts or the Wrongs Which Arise Independent of Contract
- KF1250 .C6 1879, Rare Books
- KF1250 .C6 1880b, Lower Level
- KF1250 .C6 1888, Rare Books