Nathaniel Bennett was one of the first Associate Justices of the California Supreme Court.

In December 1849, the new legislature elected Bennett, along with H.A. Lyons

Henry A. Lyons

Henry A. Lyons was the 2nd Chief Justice of California....

, as the first associate justices. Previously, Bennett had been a state senator; on December 24, 1849, he resigned his seat so he could take up his Supreme Court position.

On October 3, 1851, Bennett resigned, having accepted "financial inducements" from a group of influential land owners who were hoping the court would reverse his decision in Woodworth

Frederick A. Woodworth

Frederick A. Woodworth, Esq. was a prominent San Francisco businessman, attorney, and member of the Society of California Pioneers and Woodworth political family.-San Francisco:...

v. Fulton (1850) 1 Cal. 295.

Bennett continued to practice law and appeared many times before the Supreme Court.