Born in 1745, in New Brunswick, Province of New Jersey, British America,[1] Morris read law in 1770.
[1] On September 6, 1776, by Joint Meeting of the New Jersey Legislature, Morris was appointed Clerk of Bergen County.
[2] On February 5, 1777, the Legislature named him Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, the office once held by his father.
[1] Morris received a recess appointment from President George Washington on August 28, 1790, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey vacated by Judge David Brearley.
[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 20, 1790, and received his commission the same day.