On its way tp the supreme Court, the Dred Scott case grew in scope and significance as slavery became the single most explosive issue in American poitics. By the time the case reached the high court, it had come to have enormous political implications for the entire nation. On march 6, 1857 Cheif justice Roger B. Taney read the majority opinion of the Court, which stated that slaves weren't citizens of the United States and therefore, couldn't expect any protection from the Federal Government or the courts. Also stated that Congress had no authority to ban slavery from a Federl Territory. The Decision moved the nation a step clooser to civil war. The decision of the Scott v. Sanford, considered by legal scholars to be the worst ever rendered by the Supreme Court, was overturned by the thirteeth and fourteeth amendments to the Constitution, which abolished slavery and declared all U.S. born were citizens.

John Emerson – whose estate was represented by John Sanford – was a military officer who had changed residences as a result of his military service; he brought Dred Scott with him upon changing residences

Judicial Officer Responsible for Ruling: Chief Justice Roger Taney