Editing Francis Hopkinson (section)

==Second Continental Congress and judicial service==
In 1776, Hopkinson served as a delegate to the [[Second Continental Congress]] ([[Continental Congress]]) from June 21 through November 18.<ref name="Hastings" />{{rp|212}}<ref name="Hastings" />{{rp|218}} He was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, representing New Jersey.<ref name="CB" /> He was the Chairman of the Navy Board in Philadelphia from November 18, 1776, to mid-August 1778.<ref name="Hastings" />{{rp|218}}<ref name="Hastings" />{{rp|234}} He was treasurer for the Continental Loan Office in Philadelphia from 1778 to 1781. He was judge of the Admiralty Court of Pennsylvania from 1779 to 1789.<ref name="FJC" />

While sitting on the court, in December 1780 Hopkinson was [[Impeachment in the United States|impeached]] on allegations of accepting payment from litigants, accepting bribes in exchange for appointments, and trading in false certificates. After an [[impeachment trial]], he was acquitted and remained in office.<ref name="MNstatelawlibrary1">{{cite web |title=Minnesota State Law Library: Trial Collection Bibliography, part 4 |url=http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/ar2000/trialbib4.html |website=www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us |publisher=Minnesota State Law Library |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040223002715/http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/ar2000/trialbib4.html |archive-date=February 23, 2004 |date=23 February 2004 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Hopkinson book">{{cite book  |title=The Pennsylvania State Trials: Containing the Impeachment, Trial, and Acquittal of Francis Hopkinson, and John Nicholson, Esquires. The Former Being Judge of the Court of Admiralty, and the Latter, the Comptroller-general of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |date=1794 |publisher=Francis Bailey |url=https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=mXg0AQAAMAAJ&rdid=book-mXg0AQAAMAAJ&rdot=1 |access-date=16 June 2023 |language=en}} |pages=22-24; 56-62</ref> He was a member of the Pennsylvania Convention which ratified the [[Constitution of the United States|United States Constitution]].<ref name="Hastings" />{{rp|chapter VI}}{{rp|325}}<ref name="CB" />

Hopkinson was nominated by President [[George Washington]] on September 24, 1789, to the [[United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania]], to a new seat authorized by {{USStat|1|73}}. He was confirmed by the [[United States Senate]] on September 26, 1789, and received his commission the same day.<ref name="FJC" />