1. Robert Trimble was a lawyer and jurist who served as Justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, as United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kentucky and as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1826 to his death in 1828.
Robert Trimble was three years old when his family emigrated to the Cumberland Plateau region of Virginia's Kentucky County, initially to Fort Boonesborough and then to a settlement in present-day Clark County, Kentucky.
Robert Trimble attended Transylvania University and read law under two attorneys, first George Nicholas and then James Brown.
Robert Trimble was licensed to practice law by the Kentucky Court of Appeals in 1803 and began a law practice in Paris, Kentucky.
Robert Trimble established his office at Eades Tavern, which became his home.
Robert Trimble was elected to represent Bourbon County in the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1802.
Robert Trimble thereafter refused election to any public office, including two nominations to the US Senate.
In 1807, Robert Trimble accepted an appointment to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, but resigned in 1809 for financial and family reasons; he later declined an appointment to become that Court's chief justice in 1810.
Robert Trimble owned twenty-three slaves at the time of the 1820 census.
Robert Trimble was nominated as District Judge for the US District Court for Kentucky by President James Madison on January 28,1817.
Robert Trimble was nominated as an associate justice of the US Supreme Court by President John Quincy Adams on April 11,1826, to succeed Thomas Todd.
Opposition to the nomination came from fellow Kentuckian, Senator John Rowan, whose states' rights views ran counter to positions taken by Robert Trimble while serving on the circuit court that favored federal authority over state authority.
Robert Trimble served on the Court from June 16,1826, until August 25,1828.
Robert Trimble was distinguished for sound sense, uprightness of intention and legal knowledge.
Robert Trimble's judgments were remarkable for clearness, strength, vigor of reasoning and exactness of conclusion.