Born in Charleston, SC, Rutledge studied law in London. After returning to America he enjoyed a successful law career and was very involved in state and national politics. He was president of South Carolina from 1776-1778 then later elected governor (after SC changed their constitution). He was a South Carolina representative to the Philadelphia Congress that wrote the US Constitution. Nominated to the Supreme Court by George Washington as an Associate Justice, he was later appointed Chief Justice. He made many political enemies as Chief Justice and is still the only person ever removed involuntarily from the Supreme Court.
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