Douglas L. Edmonds

Douglas Lyman Edmonds (November 20, 1887 – May 10, 1962) was an American jurist, serving on the Supreme Court of California and the United Nation's International Law Commission.

Douglas Lyman Edmonds
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
In office
November 23, 1936 – December 31, 1955
Appointed byGovernor Frank Merriam
Preceded byNathaniel P. Conrey
Succeeded byMarshall F. McComb
Personal details
Born(1887-11-20)November 20, 1887
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMay 10, 1962(1962-05-10) (aged 74)
San Juan Capistrano, California, U.S.
Spouse(s)
Laura C. Leinbach
​
(
m. 1910; died 1946)

Gertrude S. Forsyth
​
(
m. 1948; his death 1962)
EducationUniversity of Southern California Law School (LLB)

Biography

Edmonds was born in Chicago, and educated in the public schools of Chicago, Denver and San Diego. He later moved to Los Angeles and attended the University 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 the 63rd assembly district on the Republican ticket.[2] In 1926, he became a Los Angeles Municipal Court judge.[3] He was later appointed to the Los 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 star Jean Harlow from Harlean Carpenter Rossen.[6]

In November 1936, Governor Frank Merriam named Edmonds to the Supreme Court of California as an Associate Justice and he was retained in the election that month.[7][8][3] He moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco as a result of his bench appointment. In November 1942, he was retained in the election, along with John W. Shenk.[9][10] After another reelection in November 1954,[11] Edmonds served on the Supreme Court until his retirement in December 1955.[12]

While serving on the court, Edmonds chaired the American Bar Association Section on Judicial Administration.[13] In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower appointed Edmonds to the United Nation's International Law Commission, where he served until 1961.[14]

After stepping down from the bench, he moved to Pasadena and practiced law at Guthrie, Darling & Shattuck.[3] In 1957, Edmonds represented the cities of San Bernardino, Colton, and Redlands in the Orange County Water Suit.[15][16][17][18] In 1961, he was the state chair of the unsuccessful election campaign of Tom Coakley for California Attorney General.[19]

Personal life

In 1910, he married Laura C. Leinbach and they had a daughter, Dorothy.[20] His wife died December 22, 1946, in San Francisco, and he remarried in February 1948 to Gertrude S. Forsyth.[21] On May 10, 1962, Edmonds was killed in an automobile accident near San Juan Capistrano, California. His wife, Gertrude, survived the car accident.[21] He was a member of the Christian Science church.[22][23][24]

Organizations/Affiliations
  • Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity [25]
    • Member, Erskine M. Ross Chapter
    • Los Angeles Alumni Chapter, Justice 1935
    • District Justice, 1938–1957
    • Supreme Vice Justice, 1946–1948
    • Supreme Justice, 1948–1950 and 1950–1952

References
  1. "Forty-two Admitted to the California Bar". Los Angeles Herald (37 (328)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 25 August 1910. p. 8. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  2. "Attorney Edmonds Out for Assembly". Los Angeles Herald (221). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 15 July 1916. p. 4. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  3. "Ex-State Justice Killed in Crash". Los Angeles Times. May 11, 1962.
  4. "Presiding Judge for L.A. Courts Named". San Bernardino Sun (42). California Digital Newspaper Collection. Associated Press. 11 December 1935. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  5. Grace, Roger M. (April 17, 2008). "Reminiscing Column: Lawyer Defeats $500,000 Claim Against Lankershim Estate". Metropolitan News-Enterprise. p. 15. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  6. "Jean Harlow Given Right to Use Name". San Bernardino Sun (42). California Digital Newspaper Collection. Associated Press. 1 July 1936. p. 2. Retrieved September 6, 2017. She came to court attired in a blue and white silk street dress with chamois accessories, She also carried a double silver fox fur.
  7. "Ballots Will Be Put in Mail". San Bernardino Sun (43). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 16 October 1936. p. 23. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  8. "State Lawyers Invited to Farm Confab". Stanford Daily. January 31, 1941. Retrieved June 11, 2017. Two U.S.C. law graduates, Douglas L. Edmonds, associate justice of the California Supreme Court and Lloyd Wright, president of the California State Bar, will also speak.
  9. "General Election Next Tuesday Major Interest Here Is Race For Congress Seat Held By Kramer". Highland Park Post-Dispatch (7). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 29 October 1942. p. 2. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  10. "Two Assembly Races Placed Before Voters". San Bernardino Sun (49). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 1 November 1942. p. 23. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  11. "State Judges To Be Picked On Ballot". Madera Tribune (171). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 30 October 1954. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  12. "McComb Appointed to State Supreme Court by Knight". San Bernardino Sun (62 (3)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 3 September 1955. p. 24. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  13. "Activities of Sections: Judicial Administration: Report of Douglas L. Edmonds". ABA Journal. 40: 1003. November 1954. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  14. See, International Law Commission Pages on United Nations Law Commission website and Past and Former Members. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  15. Orange County Water District v. City of Riverside, Civ. No. 5717. California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Aug. 20, 1959. Justia.com. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  16. A History of the Orange County Water District. p 30-31. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  17. "Judge Edmonds, Traffic Victim, Helped S.B. Fight Water Suit". The San Bernardino County. May 12, 1962.
  18. "Justice Douglas L. Edmonds". Redlands Daily Facts. May 12, 1962. p. 8.
  19. "Two Attorney's Head County Coakley Campaign". Madera Tribune (232). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 10 April 1962. p. 2. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  20. "Social and Personal". Coronado Eagle and Journal (36). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 4 September 1928. p. 4. Retrieved September 6, 2017. Judge Douglas L. Edmonds of the Los Angeles county Superior Court and daughter Dorothy were week end guests of Mrs. John W. Mitchell
  21. "Justice Weds Second Time," Los Angeles Times (via Associated Press), February 6, 1948.
  22. "Pasadena Christian Scientist Fight 'Flu' Closing Ban in Court". Los Angeles Herald (33). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 10 December 1918. p. 22. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  23. "Vaccination Law Opposed". Mill Valley Record (36). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 8 November 1919. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  24. "Christian Science Church of the Air Program". Sausalito News (41). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 12 October 1939. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  25. “The Reporter”, October, 1950. (Quarterly Publication of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, 1950.)

See also
Legal offices
Preceded by
Nathaniel P. Conrey		 Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
1936–1955		 Succeeded by
Marshall F. McComb
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