Calm Command: U.S. Chief Justice Melville Fuller in His Times, 1888-1910

Melville Fuller, U.S. Chief Justice from 1888-1910, is the most important judge Maine has ever produced, yet is little known today even in his native state.

In the first full-length biography in 70 years, veteran Maine journalist Douglas Rooks shows why Fuller is a figure for our time, employing archives, letters and rare documents to depict a humane and even progressive justice who continually surprises our expectations. Full of fresh details and interpretations, Calm Command show how Fuller, far from being defined by the Plessy v. Ferguson decision on segregated rail cars, worked to bring justice for death row inmates, victims of lynching, and citizens of Spanish-speaking territories like Puerto Rico. Fuller helped create the U.S. Courts of Appeal, pioneered America’s involvement in international arbitration, and won a “public trust” for America’s waterfronts, beaches and harbors.

The dramatic events of his times, including strikes, industrial capitalism and imperialistic wars are given extended treatment. Author: Douglas Rooks. Paperback; 466 pages.