Douglas Lyman Edmonds | |
|---|---|
 Edmonds in 1936 | |
| Associate Justice of theSupreme Court of California | |
| In office November 19, 1936 – December 31, 1955 | |
| Appointed by | GovernorFrank Merriam |
| Preceded by | Nathaniel P. Conrey |
| Succeeded by | Marshall F. McComb |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1887-11-20)November 20, 1887 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | May 10, 1962(1962-05-10) (aged 74) |
| Spouses | |
| Education | University of Southern California Law School (LLB) |
Douglas Lyman Edmonds (November 20, 1887 – May 10, 1962) was an American jurist, serving on theSupreme Court of California and theUnited Nations'International Law Commission.
Edmonds was born inChicago, and educated in the public schools of Chicago,Denver andSan Diego. He later moved toLos Angeles and attended theUniversity of Southern California School of Law. After graduation, he joined the California Bar in 1910.[1]
After entering the bar, Edmonds practiced law in Southern California. In 1916, he ran for Assemblyman from the63rd assembly district on theRepublican ticket.[2]
In 1926, he became a Los Angeles Municipal Court judge.[3] He was later appointed to theLos Angeles County Superior Court bench, where in 1936 he was presiding judge.[4][5] In June 1936, Edmonds signed the order changing the name of Hollywood starJean Harlow from Harlean Carpenter Rossen.[6]
On August 6, 1936, associate justiceNathaniel P. Conrey announced that he would resign from the Supreme Court of California, and would not stand for election that November.[7] On September 14, GovernorFrank Merriam selected Edmonds to stand in Conrey's place on the November ballot, and, two days later, he was seated as an associate justicepro tempore on the court.[8][9] Conrey, who concluded his active service on the court in August, intended to officially resign once Edmonds was elected, but he died on November 2, the day before the election.[10] On November 19, Merriam formally appointed Edmonds, who had won the election, to the supreme court to fill the remainder of Conrey's term.[11]
Edmonds moved from Los Angeles toSan Francisco as a result of his bench appointment. In November 1942, he was retained in the election, along withJohn W. Shenk.[12][13] After another reelection in November 1954,[14] Edmonds served on the Supreme Court until his retirement in December 1955.[15]
While serving on the court, Edmonds chaired theAmerican Bar Association Section on Judicial Administration.[16] In 1954, PresidentDwight Eisenhower appointed Edmonds to the United Nation's International Law Commission, where he served until 1961.[17]
After stepping down from the bench, he moved toPasadena and practiced law at Guthrie, Darling & Shattuck.[3] In 1957, Edmonds represented the cities ofSan Bernardino,Colton, andRedlands in theOrange County Water Suit.[18][19][20][21] In 1961, he was the state chair of the unsuccessful election campaign of Tom Coakley forCalifornia Attorney General.[22]
In 1910, he married Laura C. Leinbach and they had a daughter, Dorothy.[23] His wife died December 22, 1946, in San Francisco, and he remarried in February 1948 to Gertrude S. Forsyth.[24] On May 10, 1962, Edmonds was killed in an automobile accident nearSan Juan Capistrano, California. His wife, Gertrude, survived the car accident.[24] He was a member of theChristian Science church.[25][26][27]
She came to court attired in a blue and white silk street dress with chamois accessories, She also carried a double silver fox fur.
Judge Douglas L. Edmonds of the Los Angeles county Superior Court and daughter Dorothy were week end guests of Mrs. John W. Mitchell
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Associate Justice of theSupreme Court of California 1936–1955 | Succeeded by |