Charles B. Sears
Encyclopedia
Charles Brown Sears was an American lawyer and politician from New York
.
from Yale University
in 1892. After studying at the University of Berlin in 1892-93, he graduated LL.B. from Harvard Law School
in 1896. He was admitted to the bar in 1895, and practiced in Buffalo. On October 20, 1896, he married Florence Gilbert (d. 1939), of Brookline, Massachusetts
. He was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1915. He was President of the Erie County Bar Association from 1915 to 1916.
In 1917, he was appointed by Governor Charles S. Whitman
a justice of the New York Supreme Court
to fill a vacancy, and was re-elected in November 1917, and 1931. From 1922 on, he sat on the Appellate Division (Fourth Dept.)
, and was presiding justice from 1927 on.
In 1934, he ran on the Republican ticket for the New York Court of Appeals
but was defeated by Democrat Edward R. Finch
. He was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1938 at which he chaired the Judiciary Committee.
In January 1940, he was appointed by Governor Herbert H. Lehman
to the Court of Appeals to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Irving Lehman
as Chief Judge
. He retired from the bench at the end of 1940 when the appointment expired and he reached the constitutional age limit of 70 years, thus being barred from seeking re-election. He then served as an official referee of the court.
On November 24, 1946, he married Mary V. Hun. In 1947, he was the Presiding Judge of Military Tribunal IV
during the Flick Trial
in Nuremberg, Germany.
He served as Vice Chairman and member of the Council of the University of Buffalo. He was the recipient of the Chancellor's Medal of the University in 1944. When the Law School of the University moved in 1973 to its new building, O'Brian Hall on the North Campus, the law library was named in honor of Charles B. Sears.
He was honored with a LL.D. degree by several universities and colleges: Middlebury College
, 1930; Columbia University
, 1936; Yale University
, 1936; Saint Lawrence University, 1939; Syracuse University
, 1940; and Hobart College
, 1942.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Life
He graduated from Adelphia Academy in Brooklyn in 1888, and A.B.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1892. After studying at the University of Berlin in 1892-93, he graduated LL.B. from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1896. He was admitted to the bar in 1895, and practiced in Buffalo. On October 20, 1896, he married Florence Gilbert (d. 1939), of Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
. He was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1915. He was President of the Erie County Bar Association from 1915 to 1916.
In 1917, he was appointed by Governor Charles S. Whitman
Charles S. Whitman
Charles Seymour Whitman served as the 41st Governor of New York from January 1915 to December 1918. He was also a delegate to Republican National Convention from New York in 1916.-Biography:...
a justice of the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
to fill a vacancy, and was re-elected in November 1917, and 1931. From 1922 on, he sat on the Appellate Division (Fourth Dept.)
New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division is the intermediate appellate court in New York State. The Appellate Division is composed of four departments .*The First Department covers the Bronx The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division is the intermediate...
, and was presiding justice from 1927 on.
In 1934, he ran on the Republican ticket for the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
but was defeated by Democrat Edward R. Finch
Edward R. Finch
Edward Ridley Finch was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He graduated from Yale College in 1895, and from Columbia University School of Law in 1898....
. He was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1938 at which he chaired the Judiciary Committee.
In January 1940, he was appointed by Governor Herbert H. Lehman
Herbert H. Lehman
Herbert Henry Lehman was a Democratic Party politician from New York. He was the 45th Governor of New York from 1933 to 1942, and represented New York in the United States Senate from 1950 to 1957.-Lehman Brothers:...
to the Court of Appeals to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Irving Lehman
Irving Lehman
Irving Lehman was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1940 until his death in 1945.- Biography:...
as Chief Judge
Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals refers to the position of chief judge on the New York Court of Appeals.The chief judge supervises the seven-judge Court of Appeals...
. He retired from the bench at the end of 1940 when the appointment expired and he reached the constitutional age limit of 70 years, thus being barred from seeking re-election. He then served as an official referee of the court.
On November 24, 1946, he married Mary V. Hun. In 1947, he was the Presiding Judge of Military Tribunal IV
Subsequent Nuremberg Trials
The Subsequent Nuremberg Trials were a series of twelve U.S...
during the Flick Trial
Flick Trial
The United States of America vs. Friedrich Flick, et al. or Flick trial was the fifth of twelve Nazi war crimes trials held by United States authorities in their occupation zone Germany after World War II...
in Nuremberg, Germany.
He served as Vice Chairman and member of the Council of the University of Buffalo. He was the recipient of the Chancellor's Medal of the University in 1944. When the Law School of the University moved in 1973 to its new building, O'Brian Hall on the North Campus, the law library was named in honor of Charles B. Sears.
He was honored with a LL.D. degree by several universities and colleges: Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
, 1930; Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, 1936; Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, 1936; Saint Lawrence University, 1939; Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, 1940; and Hobart College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, located in Geneva, New York, are together a liberal arts college offering Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. In athletics, however, the two schools compete with separate teams, known as the Hobart Statesmen and the...
, 1942.
Sources
- http://law.lib.buffalo.edu/about/sears.asp Bio at University of Buffalo library [gives wrong death date Dec. "18"]
- CHARLES B. SEARS, JURIST, DIES AT 80 in NYT on December 18, 1950 (subscription required)