Gale Encyclopedia of American Law Volume 6 P3 fully illuminates today's leading cases, major statutes, legal terms and concepts, notable persons involved with the law, important documents and more. Legal issues are fully discussed in easy-to-understand language, including such high-profile topics as the Americans with Disabilities Act, capital punishment, domestic violence, gay and lesbian rights, physician-assisted suicide and thousands more. | 8 JACKSON ROBERT HOUGHWOUT Robert H. Jackson. PHOTOGRAPH BY HARRIS EWING. COLLECTION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES In 1934 Jackson was selected by the recently elected president Roosevelt to serve as general counsel for the Federal Bureau of Internal Revenue. In 1936 he became assistant attorney general of the United States a position he held until 1938. Between 1938 and 1939 he performed the duties of . solicitor general. He acted as the . attorney general from 1940 until his appointment in July 1941 as justice of the . Supreme Court. Jackson earned the trust and admiration of his associates through his wit and wisdom. Many of his philosophies on essential constitutional issues came to be known as Jacksonisms. Throughout his career he withheld blind praise of the . system of government. He stated A free man must be a reasoning man and he must dare to doubt what a legislative or electoral majority may most passionately assert American Communications Ass n v. Douds 339 . 382 70 S. Ct. 674 94 L. Ed. 925 1950 . Jackson voted against government actions that imposed upon free speech and religion and voiced mistrust of labor unions. Many of his opinions were dissents from a majority that tended to uphold union interests and to support new deal legislation. Following the end of the world war ii Jackson was chosen as chief counsel for the United States at the Nuremberg trials where Nazi leaders were tried for war crimes. Included among the defendants was Hermann Goring second in command of the Nazi regime and Adolf Hitler s designated successor. In his opening remarks before Goring s trial began Jackson noted the place of the proced-dings in history when he said We must never forget that the record on which we judge these defendants today is the record on which history will judge us tomorrow. To pass these defendants a poisoned chalice is to put it to our own lips as well. we must summon such detachment and intellectual integrity to our task that
