Our Present Supreme Court
North Carolina may well bo prouil of its
highest tribunal, for they have been and
are giving effieient service. Mr.
Гаигепсе
gives a brief thumb-nail sketch of each
member.
FOUK recent developments should
make our court of last resort of
special interest to our people at
this time: the court has but recently
occupied the new and handsome quar¬
ters in the magnificent building re¬
cently completed on Morgan Street,
facing the capitol; the court has but
recently and for the first time in its
history followed the example of the
higher Federal tribunals and has
donned the silken robes customary in
those courts; there has but recently
been established a Department of Jus¬
tice, headed by the Attorney General;
and (here has just come from the
Cress a new codification of the Statute
ws of our State. So let us take just
a bird's-eye glimpse of the members
of the august tribunal which holds such
exensive power over property inter¬
ests, even of life and death in criminal
cases.
Judge Stacy
The Chief Justice is Walter Park¬
er Stacy, of New Hanover County.
lb1 is a graduate of the University
where he was an outstanding scholar
and orator, winning the Wiley I*.
Mnngum modal for oratory. Entering
upon the practice at Wilmington, ho
almost immediately began his long
career of public service, beginning in
the General Assembly. But his evident
fitness for the judiciary soon became
so apparent that he was elected to the
bench of the Superior Court, and so
deep an impression did he make in
this behalf that after but four years
of service, he was elected to the bench
of the Supreme Court, winning out
handsomely over a field of seven com¬
petitors. After but four years of serv¬
ice as Associate Justice, he Avas ap¬
pointed by GoA-ernor McLean as Chief
Justice to succeed Chief Justico Wil¬
liam A. Hoke who had died. Since
then ho has been re-elected Avithout op¬
position. He is by far the youngest
man to fill the position in the history
of our state and is one of the youngest
in the history of the nation.
He is an outstanding churchman,
and until in recent years the pressure
of his official duties forced him to re¬
linquish some of his burdens, he was
«!/
It. C. LAWRENCE
teacher of the Men's Bible Class of
the Edrnton Street Methodist Church
at Haleigh and he vies with Governor
Носу
and Go\-ernor Broughton in the
distinction of being an outstanding
Sunday school teacher. He is the only
member of the court who has received
national recognition as he has been
appointed by three successive presi¬
dents to membership upon boards of
national importance, especially in
disputes betAA-een labor and capital.
Two of these presidents — Coolidgo
and Hoover — were of different politi¬
cal faith, and the Chief Justice has
been frequently mentioned for ap¬
pointment to the Supreme Court of
the United Stales when next a South¬
ern jurist receives recognition. He has
been honored with a Doctorate of
Laws by his alma mater and also by
Duke and Davidson.
Judge Schenck
Senior Associate Justice Michael
Schonok, hails from the county of
Henderson, but his forebears Averc for
more than a century distinguished in
the annals of Lincoln County. In
1810 the original Michael Schenck
built at LaAvndale in Lincoln County
the first cotton mill ever constructed
South of the Potomac River. The
father of the Justice was a distin¬
guished lawyer and outstanding jurist,
and therefore the Justice came to the
bench of our highest court admirably
equipped both by training and in¬
heritance for the high position he now
fills so ably. He also served with dis¬
tinction upon the bench of the Supe¬
rior Court prior to his elevation to
the Supremo Court. He is a promi¬
nent Episcopalian, and lie also holds
the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws
conferred upon him by the University.
Judge Devin
Next in order of seniority is Jus¬
tice William A. Devin of Grauvillc.
Tho Justice first attended college at
Wake Forest, but took bis acadomie
degree from the University. He began
life ns a clerk in the office of Sena¬
tor Simmons Avhen that gentleman was
practicing at Winston (didn't know
he ever lived there, did you?) and
was encouraged by Simmons to study
law. Coming to the bar. he soon en¬
tered public life, served in the General
Assembly, and at an early age was
elected to the bench of the Superior
Court at a time when the judges rode
the entire state, and therefore Judge
Devin held court in every county
from tho mountains to the sen. When
he was elevated to the Supreme Court
bench he was a veteran in judicial
service, ns during his long tenure upon
the Superior Court bench he had tried
some of the most difficult and impor¬
tant cases ever tried in our state, civil
and criminal. Justice Devin is also
an outstanding churchman, a Baptist
in religious affiliation, and he has
served as Moderator of his Associa¬
tion and on a number of important
Htuto-wido boards of that denomina¬
tion. lie also holds a Doctorate of
Laws from the University.
Judge Seawcll
Justice A. A. F. Sea well comes
from the county of Lee. lie is tho
only member of the court with throe
initials, and he is also the oldest jus¬
tice in point of years, being more than
aevcnty-fivc. He was an outstanding
member of the Bar, a veteran trial
lawyer, and his attainments in his
profession caused his election as At¬
torney General, an office which ho
graced until his elcA-ation to his pres¬
ent position. Do not get the impres¬
sion that because the justice is not ns
young as lie once Avas that he is in
tho sere and yellow-leaf stage or any¬
thing of that kind. If you have any
such impression, read one of his strong
and vigorous opinions, couched in
clear and terse language, and you will
reach the conclusion that he is at tho
very zenith of his powers
Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes
rendered distinguished service upon
the bench of the Supreme Court of
( Continued on page twenty-two )