Levi Stewart Udall
Encyclopedia
Levi Stewart Udall was a U.S.
lawyer
who served as Chief Justice
of the Arizona Supreme Court
. He was a member of the Udall political family
.
Born and raised in Arizona
, he was the son of David King Udall
and Eliza Stewart Udall. He was named after his grandfather, Levi Stewart
. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 1914 he married Louisa Lee, a granddaughter of John D. Lee
and Jacob Hamblin
. They would later have six children.
He passed the Arizona Bar exam
in 1922, and was admitted to the bar, without having earned a law degree
(a common practice in those days). Later that year he succeeded his father as stake president of the St. John's Stake, a position he held until 1945.
In 1922, he lost a bid to be elected as clerk to the Arizona Superior Court. He was defeated by his older brother John Hunt Udall
.
In 1946 he was elected to the Arizona Supreme Court, and remained a Justice of that court from 1947 until his death. In 1948 Udall wrote the majority opinion of the Arizona State Supreme Court granting Native Americans living on reservations the right to vote. From 1951-1952 and 1957-1958 he served as the Chief Justice of that court.
In 1960 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Arizona
. He died on May 30 of that year.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who served as Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Arizona Supreme Court
Arizona Supreme Court
The Arizona Supreme Court is the state supreme court of the U.S. state of Arizona. It consists of a Chief Justice, a Vice Chief Justice, and three associate justices. Each justice is appointed by the governor of Arizona from a list recommended by a bipartisan commission. Justices stand for...
. He was a member of the Udall political family
Udall family
The Udall family is a U.S. political family rooted in the American West. Its role in politics spans over 100 years and four generations. Udall politicians have been elected from four different states: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon...
.
Born and raised in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, he was the son of David King Udall
David King Udall
David King Udall, Sr. was a representative to the Arizona Territorial Legislature and the founder of the Udall political family. His great-grandsons Mark and Tom currently represent the Colorado and New Mexico in the United States Senate, respectively.-Childhood years:David King Udall was born in...
and Eliza Stewart Udall. He was named after his grandfather, Levi Stewart
Levi Stewart
Levi Stewart was a Mormon pioneer and a founder of Kanab, Utah.-Early years:Stewart was born in West Edwardsville, Illinois in 1812. His parents divorced when he was 12, and he lived with his mother and brothers until adulthood.He married his cousin Melinda Howard in 1833, and moved to Vandalia,...
. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 1914 he married Louisa Lee, a granddaughter of John D. Lee
John D. Lee
John Doyle Lee was a prominent early Latter-day Saint who was executed for his role in the Mountain Meadows massacre.-Early Mormon leader:...
and Jacob Hamblin
Jacob Hamblin
Jacob Vernon Hamblin was a Western pioneer, Mormon missionary, and diplomat to various Native American Tribes of the Southwest and Great Basin. During his life, he helped settle large areas of southern Utah and northern Arizona where he was seen as an honest broker between Mormon settlers and the...
. They would later have six children.
He passed the Arizona Bar exam
Bar examination
A bar examination is an examination conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction.-Brazil:...
in 1922, and was admitted to the bar, without having earned a law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
(a common practice in those days). Later that year he succeeded his father as stake president of the St. John's Stake, a position he held until 1945.
In 1922, he lost a bid to be elected as clerk to the Arizona Superior Court. He was defeated by his older brother John Hunt Udall
John Hunt Udall
John Hunt Udall was mayor of Phoenix, Arizona from 1936-38. He was a member of the Udall political family....
.
In 1946 he was elected to the Arizona Supreme Court, and remained a Justice of that court from 1947 until his death. In 1948 Udall wrote the majority opinion of the Arizona State Supreme Court granting Native Americans living on reservations the right to vote. From 1951-1952 and 1957-1958 he served as the Chief Justice of that court.
In 1960 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. He died on May 30 of that year.
Legacy
- His half-brother, Jesse Addison UdallJesse Addison UdallJesse Addison Udall was a member of the Udall political family who served as chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court....
, succeeded him as Justice and later Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme court. - His son Stewart UdallStewart UdallStewart Lee Udall was an American politician. After serving three terms as a congressman from Arizona, he served as Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969, under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B...
, was a U.S. Congressman from Arizona, and U.S. Secretary of the Interior. - Another of his sons, Mo UdallMo UdallMorris King "Mo" Udall was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Arizona from May 2, 1961 to May 4, 1991...
, was a U.S. CongressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for 30 years, and a candidate for President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in 1976. - His grandson, Mark UdallMark UdallMark Emery Udall is the senior United States Senator from Colorado and a member of the Democratic Party. From 1999 to 2009, Udall served in the United States House of Representatives, representing . He also served a term in the Colorado House of Representatives.Born in Tucson, Arizona, he is the...
, is a U.S. Senator from ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and was a U.S. Congressman from 1999 to 2008. - His grandson, Tom UdallTom UdallThomas Stewart "Tom" Udall is the junior United States Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party. He had represented as a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999. Udall was elected as the junior United States senator from New Mexico on November 4, 2008,...
, is a U.S. Senator from New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and was a U.S. Congressman from 1999 to 2008.