David Chávez
David Chávez Jr. (November 12, 1897 – November 3, 1984) was an American attorney and jurist who served as a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico from 1947 to 1950, and as a justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court from 1960 to 1968.
David Chávez | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the New Mexico Supreme Court | |
| In office 1960–1968 | |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico | |
| In office 1947–1950 | |
| Appointed by | Harry S. Truman |
| Preceded by | Robert A. Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Thomas H. Roberts |
| 34th Mayor of Santa Fe | |
| In office 1932–1934 | |
| Preceded by | James C. McConvery |
| Succeeded by | Charles B. Barker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 12, 1897 Los Chavez, New Mexico |
| Died | November 3, 1984 (aged 86) Las Vegas, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Relations | Dennis Chávez (brother) |
| Education | University of New Mexico (BA) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
Early life and education
Chávez was born in Los Chaves in Valencia County[1] and grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He served in the United States Army during World War I. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico and a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Career
Chávez served as mayor of Santa Fe from 1932 to 1934. From 1936 to 1942 he was a District Judge at the First Judicial District in Santa Fe.[1] Chávez briefly resigned to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II and returned to the bench after the war.[2] He served in the Army’s Judge Advocate General Corps and participated in the prosecution of 40 Dachau concentration camp guards.[3] The U.S. Army awarded Colonel Chavez a bronze star medal for his service prosecuting Nazi war criminals.[4] He was appointed to the judgeship of the Puerto Rico District by President Harry S. Truman and served from 1947 to 1950. He returned to New Mexico in 1950 to run unsuccessfully for Governor.[1] He worked in private practice in Santa Fe until Governor Burroughs appointed him to the New Mexico Supreme Court in 1959.[1] Chávez served on the New Mexico Supreme Court from 1960 until 1968.
Personal life
He was the brother of United States Senator Dennis Chávez. He died in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
References
- "Former Chief Justice Chavez is dead". Alamogordo Daily News. November 4, 1984. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico-David Chávez
- "David Chavez, Jr. New Mexican Soldier, Judge, Census Clerk" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- "Col. David Chavez Jr. receives bronze star medal from army". Farmington Times Hustler. October 11, 1946. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- Guillermo A. Baralt, History of the Federal Court in Puerto Rico: 1899-1999 (2004) (also published in Spanish as Historia del Tribunal Federal de Puerto Rico)