David Eagleson
Encyclopedia
David N. Eagleson served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
from 1987 to 1991. He practiced law in Long Beach, California
for 20 years. He spent another 20 years as a judge, serving on the Los Angeles Superior Court, Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.
After serving in World War II
, Eagleson earned his law degree from the USC Law School in 1950.
Eagleson, a conservative Republican, was elevated to the high court after voters removed liberal Chief Justice Rose Bird
and two of her allies from the Court in the 1986 general election as a result of the trio's opposition to capital punishment
. During his four years on the court, Eagleson wrote 54 majority opinion
s. Eagleson's most famous opinion is generally considered to be Thing v. La Chusa
, 48 Cal. 3d 644, 667 (1989), which sharply limited the availability of the cause of action for negligent infliction of emotional distress
in California.
He was married and was father to two daughters, Victoria and Beth, who now both reside in Southern California. Beth followed her father into law and became an attorney. Beth, in her eulogy for her father delivered before the court on which he once served, cited Thing as the opinion most representative of her father's voice and philosophy:
Supreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
from 1987 to 1991. He practiced law in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
for 20 years. He spent another 20 years as a judge, serving on the Los Angeles Superior Court, Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.
After serving in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Eagleson earned his law degree from the USC Law School in 1950.
Eagleson, a conservative Republican, was elevated to the high court after voters removed liberal Chief Justice Rose Bird
Rose Bird
Rose Elizabeth Bird served for 10 years as the 25th Chief Justice of California. She was the first female Justice, and first female Chief Justice, on that court, appointed by then Governor Jerry Brown...
and two of her allies from the Court in the 1986 general election as a result of the trio's opposition to capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
. During his four years on the court, Eagleson wrote 54 majority opinion
Majority opinion
In law, a majority opinion is a judicial opinion agreed to by more than half of the members of a court. A majority opinion sets forth the decision of the court and an explanation of the rationale behind the court's decision....
s. Eagleson's most famous opinion is generally considered to be Thing v. La Chusa
Thing v. La Chusa
Thing v. La Chusa, 48 Cal. 3d 644 , was a case decided by the Supreme Court of California that limited the scope of the tort of negligent infliction of emotional distress...
, 48 Cal. 3d 644, 667 (1989), which sharply limited the availability of the cause of action for negligent infliction of emotional distress
Negligent infliction of emotional distress
The tort of negligent infliction of emotional distress is a controversial cause of action, which is available in nearly all U.S. states but is severely constrained and limited in the majority of them. The underlying concept is that one has a legal duty to use reasonable care to avoid causing...
in California.
He was married and was father to two daughters, Victoria and Beth, who now both reside in Southern California. Beth followed her father into law and became an attorney. Beth, in her eulogy for her father delivered before the court on which he once served, cited Thing as the opinion most representative of her father's voice and philosophy:
External links
- Obituary
- Speeches given in memory of before the Supreme Court of California (includes official portrait) - from California Supreme Court Historical Society