John Marshall (1755–1835) was the fourth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Born in Fauquier County, Virginia, he served as an officer in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. In 1782, he was elected to the Virginia General Assembly and was a member of the Virginia Convention of 1788 that ratified the US Constitution. In 1800, President John Adams appointed him Secretary of State. The following year, Adams nominated him to the Supreme Court. In 1803, he authored his famous opinion in Marbury v. Madison, establishing for the court the power of judicial review.