Edmund Randolph appeared in Federal Court as a defense attorney for Aaron Burr in 1807. Randolph had appeared in Federal Court several times, but this would be the most famous trial he would participate in. Randolph was only one of the many attorneys on the defense team. John Wickham, Benjamin Botts, John Baker, Luther Martin, and Charles Lee were the other members of the 1800's version of the "Dream Team". However, Randolph was the first to admit that the attorneys were "just there" for this trial. Burr wanted to defend himself.

All the attorneys participated in the trial, but their participation was secondary to Burr. Burr developed the strategies they used in trial and he handled his own defense during the courtroom hearings. Wickham and Martin seemed to be Burr's main assistants, while it was believed that Randolph was only there for his presence on the defense team. Randolph admitted to not doing much, but he believed that all of the attorneys on the defense team were there either their to impress others or to serve Burr in the work he couldn't get to because of the lack of time he had. Randolph never took any credit for Burr's acquittal, and did not think the defense team should. He knew that the judgment of the court was due to Burr's own efforts and the lack of evidence presented by the Government.

On August 10, 1753, Edmund Randolph was born in Williamsburg, Virginia. His Uncle, Grandfather, and Father were all attorneys, politicians, and highly thought of in society. Edmund was raised to follow in their footsteps. His education was geared to teach him the ways of law and politics. Edmund was expected to have a major role in the future of the colonies. As Edmund grew into his late teens an early twenties he realized the importance of these expectations and was motivated to live up to them. In preparing to do so Edmund would make it a point to hang around the politicians and socialites who came to Williamsburg for the legislature meetings.

By the time Edmund was twenty he had quit school to learn the law from a mentor instead. His mentor was his father John Randolph. John was the Attorney General of the colony, and he was one of the most successful attorney's of the Virginia Bar. As the colonies came closer and closer to separation from British control Edmund and his father went separate directions. John was loyal to Britain and did not like the direction the colonies were going. Peyton Randolph, John's brother and Edmund's uncle, was voted as the first president of the continental congress and was one of the main players in the colonies plan to separate. Edmund had a tough decision to make. He loved his father, yet he believed in the colonies right to be independent. Edmund shared Peyton's point of view and joined George Washington and the Continental Army, which in turn upset his father. As it became obvious that the colonies wanted independence John took his wife and daughters back to Britain leaving a young Edmund behind to play that major role in the colonies that he was raised to do.

Upon the end of the American Revolution Edmund returned to Virginia to become the Attorney general. He was also named as a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress. Among his other duties he was part of the Philadelphia and Annapolis conventions. During these conventions he became good friends with James Madison and initially refused to sign the Constitution. As the debates and meetings over the constitution continued Randolph eventually became Governor of Virginia. Eventually before this part of Randolph's life had passed he retired as Governor and the Constitution was passed.

Randolph's accomplishments led him from being a public person in Virginia to being a public person across the new nation. He was well respected and highly admired. George Washington named Randolph to the Attorney General position of the United States of America. Also serving in the same cabinet as Randolph was Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton and Jefferson were always at odds. Along with being Washington's main legal advisor Randolph was also a neutral person that helped Washington deal with Hamilton and Jefferson's differences. Eventually both Hamilton and Jefferson stepped down from there positions and Randolph was then named Secretary of State taking over for Jefferson. Now that there was no need for a neutral party to help settle differences between Hamilton and Jefferson Randolph's influence was severally reduced. After several years of serving in Washington's cabinet Randolph retired under controversy that he was trying to solicit funds from the French. He tried to clear himself of the controversy, but he had lost the confidence of some politicians and he was not part of any political party to try to gain support from. Edmund Randolph's political career was over.

Now that Randolph's political career was over he focused on his legal career. He worked mostly in the appellate courts of Virginia. The most important trial he participated in was not the Aaron Burr trial, however, it was his own. In the United States v. Edmund Randolph he was charged with dispersing funds without a legitimate expense when he was Secretary of State. He lost that case and was ordered to pay back those expenditures to the public. Because of this ruling he was forced to increase his lucrative and successful practice of the law to pay the government. Randolph's work totaled 1/3 the cases heard in the Virginia courts. The only other lawyer even close to that work load was John Wickham. Edmund Randolph became the most successful lawyer in Virginia, but John Wickham was close behind. Some days Randolph and Wickham were co-counsel the next day they would be on opposite sides. Randolph also work with Benjamin Botts, John Baker, Luther Martin, and Charles Lee(the rest of the "Dream Team") during his remaining days as a lawyer in Virginia.

As you can see Randolph was probably part of Burr's defense team just to impress others. He had a long line of credentials and accomplishments. He was well respected as a person, a politician, and an attorney. He was well recognized because of his public life in Virginia and as a cabinet member during Washington's presidency. There were several reasons to have him on the defense team, even if Burr was still planning on defending himself. However, Randolph put it best when he stated that his participation in the trial amounted to the fact he was "just there".

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