James H. Peck

Peck was a federal district court judge in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1825, Peck issued an opinion concerning a land grant under Spanish law. The ruling was criticized by Luke Lawless, the attorney who represented the losing side. After Peck cited Lawless for contempt of court, Lawless petitioned for Peck’s impeachment. The impeachment resolution was first introduced in 1826; after two rejections, a resolution was approved in 1830. Peck was acquitted of all charges by the Senate in January 1831.

Resources

The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.

Journal of the House of Representatives
Call Number: KF46 .A22
Published/Created: 1789-
21st Cong., 1st Sess. (1830) - The impeachment vote is on pages 565-67. The proceedings approving of the articles of impeachment are published on pages 591-96 (available at A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation and HathiTrust External).
Register of Debates in Congress
Call Number: KF35
Published/Created: 1825-1837
7 Reg. Deb. (1830) - References are scattered throughout the first part of the volume. The account is not detailed (available at A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation and HathiTrust External).
United States Congressional Serial Set
Call Number: KF12 .U5
Published/Created: 1817-
Judge Peck, H.R. Rep. No. 21-325 (1830) - Contains the evidence gathered by the Committee on the Judiciary, including sworn testimony by Lawless and others. Available in volume is 201 (available at HathiTrust External).
Report of the Trial of James H. Peck, Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Missouri, Before the Senate of the United States on an Impeachment by Arthur J. Stansbury
Call Number: KF8782.P4 S8 1833
Published/Created: 1833
An account of the proceedings in the House culminating in Judge Peck’s impeachment and the subsequent trial in the Senate. Includes a name index at the beginning of the item (available at HathiTrust External).

Federal Impeachment

James H. Peck

Resources