William R. Day

William Rufus Day (April 17, 1849 – July 9, 1923) was an American diplomat and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1903 to 1922. Prior to his service on the Supreme Court, Day served as United States Secretary of State during the administration of President William McKinley. He also served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the United States Circuit Courts for the Sixth Circuit.

Early life and career William Rufus Day was born on April 17, 1849, in Ravenna, Ohio, one of the children of Emily (née Spaulding) and Judge Luther Day of the Ohio Supreme Court. His maternal grandfather Rufus P. Spalding was also a judge of the Ohio Supreme Court. and then a year at the University of Michigan Law School. Roosevelt had initially offered the position to William Howard Taft, who declined in order to remain in his post as governor of the Philippines. The United States Senate confirmed the nomination on February 23, 1903, He served as Circuit Justice for the Seventh Circuit from March 9, 1903, to March 17, 1912, and as Circuit Justice for the Sixth Circuit from March 18, 1912, to November 13, 1922. He would often leave the Court after oral argument and go straight to Boundary Field to watch the Washington Senators play. Day is recorded as asking his clerk for "regular updates" during the bench hearing of Standard Sanitary Mfg. Co. v. United States about the final game of the 1912 World Series.

Retirement and death

Day retired from the court on November 13, 1922,

Personal life

Day married Mary Elizabeth Schaefer, daughter of Louis Schaefer, of Canton on August 24, 1875. They were married until her death in 1912, and were the parents of four sons: William L., Rufus S., Stephen A., and Luther. Through his son Luther, he is the great-great grandfather of the actress Anna Gunn.

Selected opinions authored by Day Ware & Leland v. Mobile County, 209 U.S. 405 (1908) – held that contracts for the sales of cotton for future delivery that do not oblige interstate shipments are not subjects of interstate commerce Bobbs-Merrill Co. v. Straus, 210 U.S. 339 (1908) – helped establish "first-sale doctrine" in United States copyright law Muskrat v. United States, 219 U.S. 346 (1911) – held that there must be an actual controversy between parties for the Federal courts to have jurisdiction Flint v. Stone Tracy Co., 220 U.S. 107 (1911) – held privilege of operating in corporate form justifies imposition of an income tax Bauer & Cie. v. O'Donnell, 229 U.S. 1 (1913) – held that patent rights could not be extended by the holder by means of a licensing agreement Weeks v. United States, 232 U.S. 383 (1914) – held that exclusionary rule is applicable to the federal government for violations of the Fourth Amendment Buchanan v. Warley, 245 U.S. 60 (1917) – held that municipal ordinances segregating neighborhoods were unconstitutional Hammer v. Dagenhart, 247 U.S. 251 (1918) – held that laws regulating child labor are beyond the scope of Congress's constitutional power under the commerce clause Hawke v. Smith, 253 U.S. 221 (1920) – held that a state referendum could not rescind its legislative ratification of a federal constitutional amendment after that amendment had passed.