Hugh J. Rosellini

Hugh J. Rosellini (June 16, 1909 – November 26, 1984) was an American lawyer, politician and justice of the Washington Supreme Court from 1955 to 1984, who also served as chief justice from 1965 to 1967.

The Honorable
Hugh J. Rosellini
Justice of the Washington Supreme Court
In office
January 1, 1955 (1955-01-01) – November 26, 1984 (1984-11-26)
Succeeded byKeith M. Callow
Member of the Washington House of Representatives
from the 27th district
In office
1939–1944
Personal details
Born(1909-06-16)June 16, 1909
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
DiedNovember 26, 1984(1984-11-26) (aged 75)
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseYvonne Chrissy Lee
Residence(s)Olympia, Washington
Alma materUniversity of Puget Sound
University of Washington School of Law (LLB)
OccupationLawyer, judge

Early life and education

Rosellini was born and raised in Tacoma, the only child of immigrants from Chiesina, Italy.[1] In 1927, he enrolled at the University of Puget Sound, and in 1929 switched to the University of Washington, following in the footsteps of his childhood friend, Albert Rosellini, who later became governor.[1] In 1933, he graduated with a LL.B. degree from the University of Washington School of Law.

After graduation, Rosellini entered private practice in Tacoma from 1933 to 1945. In 1938, Rosellini was elected to the state House of Representatives as a Democrat from the 27th District in Tacoma.[2] In 1944, he ran unsuccessfully for Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney.[1] In 1945, Governor Monrad Wallgren appointed Rosellini as judge on the Pierce County Superior Court.[1] On the trial bench, he handled a range of civil and criminal cases, including the death penalty. In 1948, he sentenced to death convicted murderer, Jake Bird.[3] In 1954, Judge Rosellini excused with good humor a 103-year old man summoned to jury service due to his age.[4]

In 1950, he ran unsuccessfully for the state Supreme Court, losing to Frederick Hamley.[1][5][6] In 1954, Rosellini ran again and was elected as justice of the Supreme Court, winning over Richard Ott, who joined the court a year later.[7][8] In the 1966 election, Rosellini was challenged by Vaughn Evans but won re-election.[9][10] Rosellini served as chief justice of the Supreme Court from January 11, 1965, to January 8, 1967.[11]

Rosellini maintained wide intellectual interests, including Bar matters and international affairs. In September 1965, he delivered a speech at the regional meeting of the American Bar Association.[12] In 1967, Rosellini participated in the Thirty-first American Assembly on the United States and Eastern Europe.[13]

His notable cases include Spokane v. McDonough (1971), in which a student at a speech by Vice-President Spiro Agnew at Gonzaga University in 1968 was convicted of disorderly conduct for shouting out his opposition to the Vietnam War.[14][15] The state Supreme Court reversed the conviction, and Rosellini wrote for the majority: "On such an occasion, where an open-air crowd is tacitly invited to demonstrate its approval of the speaker and his party through applause, cheers and friendly expletives, it is to be expected that those of opposing views in the audience are likely to convey vociferously their disapproval in an orderly but vocal way."[14]

Personal life

In 1938, he married Yvonne Chrissy Lee (May 8, 1914 – March 15, 1982), in Port Orchard, Washington. He died November 26, 1984, while still in office, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery, in Tacoma, Washington.[16]

References
  1. Smith, Payton. Rosellini. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. p. 75. ISBN 0295802863. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  2. Sharon Boswell (1999). "Roy Moore: An Oral History: Profiles of Washington State Elected Officials" (PDF). Washington Secretary of State. p. 229. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  3. "Ax-Killer Makes Plea, Hears Doom". Arizona Republic. Associated Press. December 5, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  4. "Jury Man of the Week". Jet Magazine. Johnson Publishing Company. March 11, 1954. p. 26. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  5. Dubois, Philip L. (2014). From Ballot to Bench: Judicial Elections and the Quest for Accountability. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. p. 91. ISBN 978-0292768666. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  6. "Frederick Hamley Papers, 1933-1963". Archives West: Orbis Cascade Alliance. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  7. Vertrees, Orman Lee (1986). Mr. Justice Hugh J. Rosellini : a study of his reference groups and Washington Supreme Court voting record. Pullman, WA: Washington State University Ph.D. thesis.
  8. "Justices from 1940-1975: Hugh J. Rosellini". Washington State Courts. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  9. "Election Results". Port Angeles Evening News. Associated Press. September 21, 1966. Retrieved May 23, 2017. Chief Justice Hugh J. Rosellini easily won renomination to the State Supreme Court in Tuesday's primary, defeating Seattle attorney Vaughn Evans in the only statewide contest on the ballot.
  10. Sheldon, Charles H. (1988). A Century of Judging. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. p. 147. ISBN 0295803290. Retrieved May 22, 2017. hugh rosellini.
  11. The History of the Conference of Chief Justices. Williamsburg, VA: Conference of Chief Justices/National Center for State Courts. 2009. p. 71.
  12. "Plans and Activities are Announced for the Pacific Northwest Regional Meeting in September". ABA Journal. 51 (8): 776–777. August 1965. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  13. Assembly, American (1967). The 31st American Assembly: The United States and Eastern Europe. p. 12. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  14. Spokane v. McDonough, 79 Wn.2d 351 (Wash. 1971).
  15. Kershner, Jim (2011). Carl Maxey: A Fighting Life. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. p. 148. ISBN 978-0295800394. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  16. "Hugh J. Rosellini burial site". FindaGrave.com. Retrieved May 23, 2017.

Selected publications
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