Introduction; 1. The origins of Marshall court jurisprudence I: cultural change and republicanism; 2. The origins of Marshall court jurisprudence II: the nature and sources of law; 3. The working life of the court; 4. Prominent lawyers before the Marshall court; 5. The justices of the Marshall court; 6. The reporters: Henry Wheaton, Richard Peters, and Wheaton v. Peters; 7.

Admiralty jurisdiction; 8. Sovereignty and union: federal jurisdiction and federal limitations on state power; 9. Property, vested rights, and legislative regulation: the contract clause cases; 10. Natural law and racial minorities: the court's response to slaves and Indians; 11. Nonconstitutional cases I: real property, contracts and negotiable instruments, corporations; 12. Nonconstitutional cases II: federal court jurisdiction and procedure, conflicts, criminal law; 13. Nonconstitutional cases III: international law, prize, marine insurance; 14. Of the court, time, and change.