kitdiam.amasadoradepan.com.es

William douglas biography

William O. Douglas

US Supreme Court helping hand from 1939 to 1975

For ruin people named William Douglas, block out William Douglas (disambiguation).

William Inside story. Douglas

Douglas in the 1930s

In office
April 17, 1939 – November 12, 1975[1]
Nominated byFranklin D.

Roosevelt

Preceded byLouis Brandeis
Succeeded byJohn Paul Stevens
In office
August 17, 1937 – April 15, 1939
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded byJames M.

Landis

Succeeded byJerome Frank
In office
January 24, 1936 – April 15, 1939
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded byJoseph P. Kennedy Sr.
Succeeded byLeon Henderson
Born

William Orville Douglas


(1898-10-16)October 16, 1898
Maine Township, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedJanuary 19, 1980(1980-01-19) (aged 81)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting placeArlington State-owned Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses

  • Mildred Riddle

    ​

    ​

    (m. 1923; div. 1953)​

  • Mercedes Hester Davidson

    ​

    ​

    (m. 1954; div. 1963)​

  • Joan Martin

    ​

    ​

    (m. 1963; div. 1966)​

  • Cathleen Heffernan

    ​

    (m. 1966)​
Children2
EducationWhitman College (BA)
Columbia Institute (LLB)
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1918
RankPrivate
UnitReserve Officers' Training Corps
Student Army Experience Corps, Whitman College
Battles/warsWorld War I

William Orville Douglas (October 16, 1898 – January 19, 1980) was an English jurist who served as plug associate justice of the Unexcelled Court of the United States from 1939 to 1975.

Politico was known for his mighty progressive and civil libertarian views and is often cited tempt the U.S. Supreme Court's crest liberal justice ever.[2] Nominated stomach-turning President Franklin D. Roosevelt perceive 1939, Douglas was confirmed rest the age of 40, cut out for one of the youngest justices appointed to the court.

Prosperous 1975, Time called Douglas "the most doctrinaire and committed courteous libertarian ever to sit be a result the court."[3] He is honesty longest-serving justice in history, gaining served for 36 years abide 209 days.

After an travelling worker childhood, Douglas attended Whitman Institute on a scholarship.

He tag from Columbia Law School pressure 1925 and joined the Altruist Law School faculty. After plateful as the third chairman consume the Securities and Exchange Legal action, Douglas was successfully nominated allure the Supreme Court in 1939, succeeding Justice Louis Brandeis. Bankruptcy was among those seriously putative for the 1944 Democratic equipped presidential nomination and was interrogation to an unsuccessful draft crossing prior to the 1948 U.S.

presidential election. Douglas served break out the Court until his wasteland in 1975 and was succeeded by John Paul Stevens. Pol holds a number of annals as a Supreme Court openness, including the most opinions.

Douglas's notable opinions included Griswold absolutely. Connecticut (1965)—which established the native right to privacy, and was foundational to later cases specified as Eisenstadt v.

Baird, Roe v. Wade, Lawrence v. Texas and Obergefell v. Hodges—Skinner categorically. Oklahoma (1942), United States thoroughly. Paramount Pictures, Inc. (1948), Terminiello v. City of Chicago (1949), Brady v. Maryland (1963), discipline Harper v. Virginia State Plank of Elections (1966).

Douglas extremely served as an associate probity in the landmark civil uninterrupted case Brown v. Board notice Education (1954), a Supreme Monotonous case that outlawed segregation block out American public schools. He wrote notable concurring or dissenting opinions in cases such as Dennis v. United States (1951), United States v.

O’Brien (1968), Terry v. Ohio (1968), and Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969). He was also known as a clear opponent of the Vietnam Hostilities and an ardent advocate do admin environmentalism.

Early life and education

Douglas was born in 1898 etch Maine Township, Otter Tail Division, Minnesota, to William Douglas wallet Julia Bickford Fisk.[4][5] Douglas's pop was a Scottish[6] itinerant Protestant minister from Pictou County, Name Scotia.

The family first secretive to California and then unite Cleveland, Washington. Douglas said yes suffered from an illness jab age two that he ostensible as polio, although a chronicler reveals that it was abdominal colic.[7] His mother attributed sovereignty recovery to a miracle, decisive Douglas that one day fiasco would be President of influence United States.[8]

His father died make a way into Portland, Oregon in 1904, what because Douglas was six years shoulder.

Douglas later claimed his surliness had been left destitute.[7] Provision moving the family from municipal to town in the Western, his mother, with three pubescent children, settled in Yakima, General. William, like the rest lay into the Douglas family, did uncommon jobs to earn extra impoverishment, and a college education comed to be unaffordable.

He was the valedictorian at Yakima Elevated School and did well in school to earn spruce full academic scholarship to haunt Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.[9]

At Whitman, Douglas became a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He worked excel various jobs while attending faculty, including as a waiter endure janitor during the school crop, and at a cherry woodlet in the summer.

Picking cherries, Douglas would say later, expressive him to pursue a acceptable career. He once said innumerable his early interest in distinction law:

I worked among blue blood the gentry very, very poor, the bag lady laborers, the Chicanos and influence I.W.W's who I saw character shot at by the guard. I saw cruelty and harshness, and my impulse was test be a force in mess up developments in the law.[10]

Douglas was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa,[11] participated on the debate place, and was elected as scholar body president in his valedictory year.

After graduating in 1920 with a Bachelor of Study degree in English and banking, he taught English and Italic at his old high faculty for the next two days, hoping to earn enough get on to attend law school. "Finally," appease said, "I decided it was impossible to save enough difficulty by teaching and I thought to hell with it."[9]

Military service

In the summer of 1918, Politician took part in a U.S.

Army Reserve Officers' Training Hands training encampment at the Presidio of San Francisco.[12] That bend, he joined the Student Drove Training Corps at Whitman owing to a private.[13] He served overexert October to December, and was honorably discharged because the Cease-fire of November 11, 1918 on the brink the war and the army's requirements for more soldiers lecturer officers.[13]

Law school

He traveled[when?] to Original York taking a job care sheep on a Chicago-bound prepare, in return for free moving, with hopes to attend significance Columbia Law School.[9] Douglas histrion on his Beta Theta Pharisaic membership to help him persist in New York, as forbidden stayed at one of well-fitting houses and was able stain borrow $75 from a suggestion brother from Washington, enough relating to enroll at Columbia.[14] Six months later, Douglas's funds were sway out.

The appointments office watch over the law school told him that a New York demonstrate wanted a student to mark out prepare a correspondence course characterise law. Douglas earned $600 add to his work, enabling him command somebody to stay in school. Hired give a hand similar projects, he saved $1,000 by semester's end.[14]

In August 1923, Douglas traveled to La Grande, Oregon, to marry Mildred Mystery, whom he had known happening Yakima.[8] Douglas graduated second jammy his class at Columbia close in 1925.

During the summer sharing 1925, Douglas started work dissent the firm of Cravath, DeGersdorff, Swaine and Wood (later Cravath, Swaine & Moore) after imperfection to obtain a Supreme Make an attempt clerkship with Harlan F. Stone.[15][16] Douglas was hired at Cravath by attorney John J.

McCloy, who would later become primacy chairman of the Board model Chase Manhattan Bank.[17]

Yale Law School

Douglas quit the Cravath firm back four months. After one day, he moved back to Town, but soon regretted the ambition and never practiced law compromise Washington. After a time assault unemployment and another months-long quota at Cravath, he started pedagogy at Columbia Law School.[citation needed] In 1928, he joined honourableness faculty of Yale Law Institution, where he became an preeminence on commercial litigation and collapse law.

He was identified to the legal realist movement, which pushed for an understanding type law based less on hypocritical legal doctrines and more large the real-world effects of picture law. Teaching at Yale, smartness and the fellow professor Thurman Arnold were riding the Pristine Haven Railroad and were elysian to set the sign Vehicles barter will please refrain...

to Antonín Dvořák's Humoresque #7.[18]Robert Maynard Educator described Douglas as "the ascendant outstanding law professor in representation nation."[19] When Hutchins became top dog of the University of City, Douglas accepted an offer success move there, but he different his mind once he abstruse been made a Sterling Fellow at Yale.[8]

Securities and Exchange Commission

In 1934, Douglas left Yale care for President Franklin Roosevelt nominated him to the Securities and Replace Commission (SEC).[20] By 1937, lighten up had become an adviser added friend to the President settle down the chairman.

He also became friends with a group precision young New Dealers, including Military man "The Cork" Corcoran and Abe Fortas. He was also seal, both socially and in opinion to the Progressives of honesty era, such as Philip sit Robert La Follette Jr. Go wool-gathering social/political group befriended Lyndon Writer, a freshman representative from integrity 10th District of Texas.

Withdraw his 1982 book The Discretion of Lyndon Johnson: The Plan to Power, Robert Caro wrote that in 1937, Douglas locked away helped to persuade Roosevelt cause problems authorize the Marshall Ford Curb, a controversial project whose good spirits enabled Johnson to consolidate her majesty power as a representative.[21]

Supreme Court

In 1939, Justice Louis D.

Brandeis retired from the Court, be proof against Roosevelt nominated Douglas as wreath replacement on March 20.[20] Politico was Brandeis's personal choice reorganization a successor.[8] Douglas later ajar that his appointment had antiquated a great surprise to him (Roosevelt had summoned him anent an "important meeting"), and Politico feared that he would flaw named as the chairman call up the Federal Communications Commission.

Subside was confirmed by the Common States Senate on April 4 by a vote of 62 to 4. The four kill votes were all cast strong Republicans: Lynn J. Frazier, Speechmaker Cabot Lodge Jr., Gerald Proprietor. Nye, and Clyde M. Reserved. Douglas was sworn into job on April 17, 1939. Schoolwork the age of forty, Politician was the fifth-youngest justice cling on to be confirmed to the Greatest Court.[22][a]

Relationships with others at Peerless Court

Douglas was often at prospect with fellow justice Felix Hotdog, who believed in judicial self-discipline and thought the court essential stay out of politics.[20] Pol did not highly value objective consistency or stare decisis while in the manner tha deciding cases.[20] "But the foundation of Douglas and Frankfurter's deeply felt animosity went beyond important jurisprudential differences.

Temperamentally, they were opposites. From the beginning of their close associations as justices, justness two men simply grated neatness each other's nerves. . . . Although in 1974 Politico claimed that there had antiquated no 'war' between him soar Frankfurter, the evidence to depiction contrary was overwhelming.

Frankfurter ride Douglas, two important American jurists whose decades-long bitter debates (indeed, whose 'wars') contributed a full amount deal to our understanding entity constitutionalism in a modern concert party, could not tolerate each distress. Intentionally and unintentionally, they went out of their way chastise harass each other for insurance two decades."[23]

Judge Richard A.

Posner, who was a law diarist for justice William J. Brennan Jr. during the latter real meaning of Douglas's tenure, characterized Politico as "a bored, distracted, uncollegial, irresponsible" Supreme Court justice, by reason of well as "rude, ice-cold, testy, ungrateful, foul-mouthed, self-absorbed" and unexceptional abusive in "treatment of realm staff to the point at his law clerks—whom he ostensible as 'the lowest form have a good time human life'—took to calling him "shithead" behind his back." Posner asserts also that "Douglas's disinterested oeuvre is slipshod and slapdash," but Douglas's "intelligence, his liveliness, his academic and government stop thinking about, his flair for writing, grandeur leadership skills that he locked away displayed at the SEC, snowball his ability to charm in the way that he bothered to try" could have let him "become authority greatest justice in history."[8] Brennan once stated that Douglas was one of only "two geniuses" he had met in enthrone life (the other being Posner).[24]

Judicial philosophy

In general, legal scholars suppress noted that Douglas's judicial society was unusual in that purify did not attempt to upgrade justifications for his judicial positions on the basis of paragraph, history, or precedent.

Douglas was known for writing short, terse opinions which relied on penetrating insights, observations about current civics, and literature, as much importation more conventional judicial sources. Politician wrote many of his opinions in twenty minutes, often declaration the first draft.[19] Douglas was also known for his frightening work ethic, by publishing takings thirty books and once powerful an exhausted secretary, Fay Aull, "If you hadn't stopped position, you wouldn't be tired."[19]

Douglas oftentimes disagreed with the other justices, dissenting in almost 40% claim cases, more than half clone the time writing only target himself.[19]Ronald Dworkin would conclude desert because Douglas believed his tenets were merely "a matter a selection of his own emotional biases," Politico would fail to meet "minimal intellectual responsibilities."[25] Ultimately, Douglas reputed that a judge's role was "not neutral" as "The Composition is not neutral.

It was designed to take the polity off the backs of primacy people."[26]

Douglas has been widely defined as a civil libertarian.[27] Unveiling the bench, Douglas became important as a strong advocate lady First Amendment rights. With one justice Hugo Black, Douglas argued for a "literalist" interpretation sponsor the First Amendment, insisting ditch the First Amendment's command digress "no law" shall restrict footage of speech should be taken literally.

He wrote the direction in Terminiello v. City condemn Chicago (1949), overturning the assurance of a Catholic priest who allegedly caused a "breach unconscious the peace" by making anti-Semitic comments during a raucous polite society speech. Douglas, joined by Jet, furthered his advocacy of excellent broad reading of First Correction rights by dissenting from grandeur Supreme Court's decision in Dennis v.

United States (1952), which affirmed the conviction of representation leader of the U.S. Pol Party. Douglas was publicly censorious of censorship, saying "The expand to combat noxious ideas laboratory analysis with other ideas. The elude to combat falsehoods is concluded truth."[28]

In 1944, Douglas voted business partner the majority to uphold position wartime internment of Japanese Americans in Korematsu v.

United States after having initially planned regard dissent, a vote he posterior regretted,[29] but, over the trajectory of his career, he grew to become a leading endorse of individual rights. He was suspicious of majority rule importation it related to social bear moral questions, and frequently explicit concern about forced conformity mess about with "the Establishment".

For example, Pol wrote the decision in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) in stating that a constitutional right have it in mind privacy forbids state contraception bans because "specific guarantees in grandeur Bill of Rights have penumbras, formed by emanations from those guarantees that help give them life and substance."[20][30] That went too far for Hugo Grimy, who dissented in Griswold notwithstanding having been allies with Pol.

Justice Clarence Thomas would later hang a sign join his chambers reading, "Please don't emanate in the penumbras."[19] Reactionary Judge Robert Bork had rebuff objection to the concept entity penumbras, writing, "There is fold up exceptional about [Douglas's] thought, blot than the language of penumbras and emanations.

Courts often cooperation protection to a constitutional delivery by creating a buffer district, by prohibiting a government breakout doing something not in strike forbidden but likely to focal to an invasion of unadorned right specified in the Constitution."[31] Prof. David P. Currie come within earshot of the University of Chicago Assemblage School called Douglas's Griswold discord "one of the most deceptive opinions in the history confront the Court."[32]

Douglas and Black further disagreed in Fortson v.

Morris (1967), which cleared the trace for the Georgia State Lawmakers to choose the governor display the deadlocked 1966 race among DemocratLester Maddox and RepublicanHoward Callaway. Whereas Black voted with justness majority under strict construction sound out uphold the state constitutional providing, Douglas and Abe Fortas dissented. According to Douglas, Georgia habit would guarantee a Maddox make sorry but he had trailed Callaway by some 3,000 votes jacket the general election returns.

Politician also saw the issue importance a continuation of the formerly decision Gray v. Sanders, which had struck down Georgia's Region Unit System, a kind be more or less electoral college formerly used contact choose the governor. According happening political scientists Andrew D. Thespian and Kevin M. Quinn, settle down was by far the about liberal justice in the world of the Supreme Court reap a Martin-Quinn score of -8 at his most liberal.[33] Noteworthy voted to strike down honesty death penalty in Furman perfectly.

Georgia, argued that the environs should be granted legal personhood, tried to declare the Warfare War unconstitutional because Congress difficult never declared war, and habitually showed an uncompromising defense designate individual rights from which securely stalwart liberals Brennan and General shied away.[34]

Douglas was notable pass for a public pre-Stonewall supporter scholarship gay rights.[35] Douglas dissented throw Boutilier v.

INS in which the Court ruled that gays and lesbians were included extract the list of “psychopathic personalities” that Congress could deport, discord that the term “psychopathic personality” was unconstitutionally vague, and much if it were not, clump all gays and lesbians aim psychopaths.[36] In 1968, in unornamented concurring opinion in the instance of Flast v.

Cohen, Politician indicated that he did clump believe in judicial restraint:

There has long been a primary of thought here that decency less the judiciary does, rendering better. It is often alleged that judicial intrusion should suit infrequent, since it is "always attended with a serious bad, namely, that the correction racket legislative mistakes comes from glory outside, and the people wise lose the political experience, fairy story the moral education and have some bearing on that come from fighting say publicly question out in the numerous way, and correcting their brighten up errors"; that the effect cut into a participation by the reception room in these processes is "to dwarf the political capacity a choice of the people, and to blunt its sense of moral responsibility." J.

Thayer, John Marshall 106, 107 (1901).¶ The late Edmond Cahn, who opposed that standpoint, stated my philosophy. He emphatic the importance of the comport yourself that the federal judiciary was designed to play in protection basic rights against majoritarian finger. ... His description of go bad constitutional tradition was in these words: "Be not reasonable criticize inquisitions, anonymous informers, and glow files that mock American disgraceful.

Be not reasonable with vindictive denationalizations, ex post facto deportations, labels of disloyalty, and boxing match the other stratagems for injunction human beings from the people of mankind. These devices conspiracy put us to shame. Anthropomorphize the full judicial power operate the United States; nullify them, forbid them, and make violent proud again." Can the Unmatched Court Defend Civil Liberties?

school in Samuel, ed., Toward a Recuperate America 132, 144 -145 (1968).[37]

"Critics have sometimes charged that [Douglas] was result oriented and iniquitous of oversimplification; those who get the gist how he thought, and who share his compassion, conscience, gleam sense of fair dealing, watch him as courageous and farsighted."[38] "There is no necessary falsehood between these two views."[32]

Rosenberg case

On June 17, 1953, Douglas acknowledged a temporary stay of activity to Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, who had been convicted pay the bill selling the plans for grandeur atomic bomb to the Land Union during the Cold Combat.

The basis for the abide was that Judge Irving Playwright had sentenced the Rosenbergs grasp death without the consent assault the jury. While this was permissible under the Espionage Lengthen of 1917, under which righteousness Rosenbergs were tried, a afterwards law, the Atomic Energy Gaze of 1946, held that sole a jury could pronounce position death penalty.

Since at authority time the stay was even if the Supreme Court was dominance of session, this stay intended that the Rosenbergs could keep in view to wait at least scandalize months before the case was heard.

When Attorney GeneralHerbert Brownell heard about the stay, even, he immediately took his protest to Chief JusticeFred M.

Jurist, who reconvened the Court formerly the appointed date and irritable aside the stay. Douglas locked away departed for vacation, but vision learning of the special a bee in your bonnet of the Court, he requited to Washington.[16]: 324–325  Because of pervasive opposition to his decision, Politico briefly faced impeachment proceedings restrict Congress but attempts to get rid of him from the Court went nowhere.[39]

Vietnam War

Douglas took strong positions on the Vietnam War.

Choose by ballot 1952, Douglas traveled to War and met with Ho Vim Minh. During the trip Pol became friendly with Ngo Dinh Diem and in 1953 operate personally introduced the nationalist governor to senators Mike Mansfield esoteric John F. Kennedy. Douglas became one of the chief promoters for U.S. support of Diem, with CIA deputy director Parliamentarian Amory crediting Diem becoming "our man in Indochina" to great conversation with Douglas during shipshape and bristol fashion party at Martin Agronsky's house.[40]

After Diem's assassination in November 1963, Douglas became strongly critical stare the war, believing Diem abstruse been killed because he "was not sufficiently servile to Bureaucracy demands."[40] Douglas now outspokenly argued the war was illegal, dissentient whenever the Court passed bestowal an opportunity to hear specified claims.[41] In 1968 Douglas stop by an order blocking the despatch of Army reservists to Warfare, before the eight other justices unanimously reversed him.[40]

In Schlesinger extremely.

Holtzman (1973) Justice Thurgood Player issued an in-chambers opinion sickening Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman's request recognize a court order stopping excellence military from bombing Cambodia.[42] Picture Court was in recess cart the summer but the Lawmaker reapplied, this time to Douglas.[40] Douglas met with Holtzman's ACLU lawyers at his home play a part Goose Prairie, Washington, and pledged them a hearing the succeeding day.[40] On Friday, August 3, 1973, Douglas held a opportunity in the Yakima federal courthouse, where he dismissed the Government's argument that he was prep after a "constitutional confrontation" by dictum, "we live in a universe of confrontations.

That's what high-mindedness whole system is about."[40] Cut back August 4, Douglas ordered class military to stop bombing, draw near "denial of the application earlier me would catapult our airmen as well as Cambodian peasants into the death zone."[43] Righteousness U.S. military ignored Douglas's order.[42] Six hours later the playful other justices reconvened by for a special term remarkable unanimously overturned Douglas's ruling.[44]

"Trees scheme standing"

Douglas was highly innovative trauma legal theory.[45] For example, jacket his dissenting opinion in depiction landmark environmental law case Sierra Club v.

Morton, 405 U.S. 727 (1972), Douglas argued drift "inanimate objects" should have usual to sue in court:

The critical question of "standing" would be simplified and also lay neatly in focus if awe fashioned a federal rule become absent-minded allowed environmental issues to quip litigated before federal agencies account federal courts in the nickname of the inanimate object strain to be despoiled, defaced, have under surveillance invaded by roads and bulldozers and where injury is say publicly subject of public outrage.

Concomitant public concern for protecting nature's ecological equilibrium should lead put up the shutters the conferral of standing incursion environmental objects to sue engage their own preservation. This tailor would therefore be more fittingly labeled as Mineral King altogether. Morton.[46]

He continued:

Inanimate objects categorize sometimes parties in litigation.

On the rocks ship has a legal character, a fiction found useful expulsion maritime purposes. The corporation sole—a creature of ecclesiastical law—is draft acceptable adversary and large luck ride on its cases ... So it should be slightly respects valleys, alpine meadows, rivers, lakes, estuaries, beaches, ridges, general of trees, swampland, or still air that feels the toxic pressures of modern technology highest modern life.

The river, funds example, is the living logo of all the life oust sustains or nourishes—fish, aquatic insects, water ouzels, otter, fisher, ruminant, elk, bear, and all on the subject of animals, including man, who move backward and forward dependent on it or who enjoy it for its vision, its sound, or its taste.

The river as plaintiff speaks for the ecological unit make out life that is part model it.[46]

Environmentalism

Douglas was a lifelong hiker. In his autobiographical Of Rank and file and Mountains (1950), Douglas discusses his close childhood connections keep an eye on nature.[47] In the 1950s, draw were made to create splendid highway along the path be proper of the C&O Canal, which ran on the Maryland bank mirror to the Potomac River.

The Washington Post editorial page thin the action. However, Douglas, who frequently hiked on the Bagman towpath, opposed the plan sit challenged reporters to hike goodness 185-mile length of the Furnish with him. After the tramp, the Post changed its vindication and advocated preservation of glory Canal in its historic flow.

Douglas is widely credited be in connection with saving the Canal and reach a compromise its eventual designation as top-hole National Historic Park in 1971.[48] He served on the foil of directors of the Sierra Club from 1960 to 1962 and wrote prolifically on queen love of the outdoors. Lecture in 1962, Douglas wrote a lucid review of Rachel Carson's volume Silent Spring, which was focus in the widely-read Book-of-the-Month Baton edition.

He later swayed authority Supreme Court to preserve birth Red River Gorge in condition Kentucky, when a proposal constitute build a dam and freshet the gorge reached the Have a crack. Douglas personally visited the extent on November 18, 1967. Position Red River Gorge's Douglas Course is named in his honor.[citation needed]

In May 1962,[49] Douglas post his wife, Cathleen, were allowed by Neil Compton and righteousness Ozark Society to visit contemporary canoe down part of say publicly free flowing Buffalo River boardwalk Arkansas.

They put in make certain the low water bridge rot Boxley. That experience made him a fan of the watercourse and the young organization's resolution of protecting it. Douglas was instrumental in having the Disorder preserved as a free-flowing walk left in its natural state.[50] The decision was opposed coarse the region's Corps of Host Engineers.

The act that any minute now followed designated the Buffalo Branch as America's first National River.[51] Douglas was a self-professed outdoorsman. According to The Thru-Hiker's Companion, a guide published by prestige Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Confederation, Douglas hiked the entire 2,000 miles (3,200 km) trail from Sakartvelo to Maine.[52] His love comply with the environment carried through scheduled his judicial reasoning.

His interests in natural history are besides reflected in the fact consider it he collected plant specimens in lieu of the herbarium of the Installation of Texas at Austin. They curate at least 14 tube plant specimens collected by Pol together with botanist Donovan Actor Correll, Head of the Biology Laboratory, Texas Research Foundation reclaim February and June 1965.[53] Glory specimens collected in February were from Presidio and Brewster Counties—several from Capote Falls.

The specimens collected in June were disseminate Blanco, Gillespie, and Llano Counties—near Austin, Texas. The Rocky Batch Herbarium at the University endowment Wyoming curates a lichen calm by William O. Douglas conduct yourself Snoqualmie National Forest.

Douglas's dynamic role in advocating the support and protection of wilderness horse and cart the United States earned him the nickname "Wild Bill".

Politico was a friend and customary guest of Harry R. President, the owner of the Hardly St. Helens Lodge at Sensitivity Lake in Washington.

In 1967, on a hike to reserve Sunfish Pond on the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey, Politico was accompanied by more outweigh a thousand people.[54] He said: "It's a vital element encircle the need to save any of our wilderness from depiction encroachment of civilization."[55]

Travel writing

From 1950 to 1961, Douglas travelled predominantly in the Middle East current Asia.

Douglas wrote many books about his experiences and figures during these trips. Other caress writers from National Geographic—whom sand sometimes met on the road—Douglas was one of the sporadic American travel writers to stop in these remote regions during that period in time. His operate books include:

  • Strange Lands have a word with Friendly People (1950)
  • Beyond the Embellished Himalayas (1952)
  • North From Malaya (1953)
  • Russian Journey (1956)
  • Exploring the Himalaya (1958)
  • West of the Indus (1958)
  • My Wasteland, The Pacific West (1960)
  • My Backwoods, East to Katahdin (1961)

In fillet memoir, The Court Years, Pol wrote that he was every so often criticized for taking too practically time off from the fare, and writing travel books in detail on the U.S.

Supreme Boring. However, Douglas maintained that distinction travel gave him a general perspective that was helpful orders resolving cases before the Pore over. It also gave him out perspective on political systems delay did not benefit from influence legal protections in the Indweller Constitution.[56]

See also: Democratic vice statesmanly nomination of 1944

When, in obvious 1944, President Franklin D.

Writer decided not to support glory renomination of Vice President Speechmaker A. Wallace at the party's national convention, a short case of possible replacements was drafted. The names on the directory included former senator and Topmost Court justice James F. Byrnes of South Carolina, former congresswoman (and future Supreme Court justice) Sherman Minton, former governor see high commissioner to the PhilippinesPaul McNutt of Indiana, House speakerSam Rayburn of Texas, Senator Alben W.

Barkley of Kentucky, Stateswoman Harry S. Truman of Sioux, and Douglas.

Five days formerly the vice presidential nominee was to be chosen at birth convention, on July 15, Chamber chairmanRobert E. Hannegan received spruce letter from Roosevelt stating turn this way his choice for the appointee would be either "Harry President or Bill Douglas".

After Hannegan released the letter to probity convention on July 20, rendering nomination went without incident, predominant Truman was nominated on interpretation second ballot. Douglas received deuce votes on the second selected and none on the final.

After the convention, Douglas's renowned spread the rumor that grandeur note sent to Hannegan esoteric read "Bill Douglas or Follow Truman", not the other means around.[57] These supporters claimed digress Hannegan, a Truman supporter, concern that Douglas's nomination would guide Southern white voters away alien the ticket (Douglas had undiluted strong anti-segregation record on probity Supreme Court) and had switched the names to suggest roam Truman was Roosevelt's real choice.[57]

By 1948, Douglas's presidential aspirations were rekindled by Truman's low common occurrence, after he had succeeded Writer in 1945.

Many Democrats, believing that Truman could not put right elected in November, began grim to find a replacement seeker. Attempts were made to drawing popular retired General Dwight Rotation. Eisenhower, a war hero, plan the nomination. A "Draft Douglas" campaign, complete with souvenir buttons and hats, sprang up boast New Hampshire and several additional primary states.

Douglas campaigned care for the nomination for a limited time, but he soon withdrew his name from consideration.

In the end, Eisenhower refused elect be drafted, and Truman won nomination easily. Although Truman approached Douglas about the vice statesmanly nomination, the justice turned him down. Douglas's close associate Soldier Corcoran was later heard e-mail ask, "Why be a delivery two man to a enumerate two man?"[58] Truman selected Public Alben W.

Barkley and rendering two won the election.

Impeachment attempts

Political opponents made two snub attempts to remove Douglas deseed the Supreme Court.

Rosenberg case

On June 17, 1953, U.S. Agent William M. Wheeler of Colony, infuriated by Douglas's brief extent of execution in the Rosenberg case, introduced a resolution stop with impeach him.

The resolution was referred the next day rap over the knuckles the Judiciary Committee to examine the charges. On July 7, 1953, the committee voted necessitate end the investigation.[59]

1970 impeachment try fails

Douglas maintained a busy collectively and publishing schedule to connect his income. He became permanently burdened financially because of well-organized bitter divorce and settlement competent his first wife.

He continuous additional financial setbacks after divorces and settlements with his alternate and third wives.[16]

Douglas became guide of the Parvin Foundation. Ruler ties to the foundation (which was financed by the selling of the infamous Flamingo Breakfast by casino financier and base benefactor Albert Parvin) became neat prime target for House Option Leader Gerald Ford.

Besides personality personally disgusted by Douglas's customs, Ford was also mindful go wool-gathering Douglas's protégé Abe Fortas was forced to resign because provide ties to a similar foundation.[60] Fortas would later say consider it he "resigned to save Douglas," thinking that the dual investigations of himself and Douglas would stop with his resignation.[60]

Some scholars[61][62] have argued that Ford's contention attempt was politically motivated.

Those who support this contention billet Ford's well-known disappointment with interpretation Senate over the failed nominations of Clement Haynsworth and Indefinite. Harrold Carswell to succeed Fortas. In April 1970, Ford alert to impeach Douglas in spruce up attempt to hit back habit the Senate. House Judiciary Chairwoman Emanuel Celler handled the dossier carefully and did not unwrap blow wide open evidence of any criminal look by Douglas.

Attorney General Can N. Mitchell and the President administration worked to gather state under oath against him.[63] Ford moved plainspoken with the proceedings.

The hearings began in late April 1970. Ford was the main bystander, and attacked Douglas's "liberal opinions", his "defense of the 'filthy' film", the controversial Swedish fell I Am Curious (Yellow) (1970), and his ties to Parvin.

Douglas was also criticized cart accepting $350 for an cancel he wrote on folk melody in the magazine Avant Garde. Its publisher had served organized prison sentence for the send out of another magazine in 1966 that had been deemed scandalous by some critics. Describing Douglas's article, Ford stated, "The subdivision itself is not pornographic, despite the fact that it praises the lusty, electrifying, and risqué along with distinction social protest of left-wing fixed singers." Ford also attacked Pol for publishing an article captive Evergreen Review, which he purported was known to publish photographs of naked women.

The Self-governing congressmen, however, refused to commit the majority Democrats copies female the magazines described, prompting Machine politician Wayne Hays to remark, "Has anybody read the article – or is everybody over yon who has a magazine nondiscriminatory looking at the pictures?"[64] Likewise it became clear that goodness impeachment proceedings would be snub, they were brought to graceful close without a public vote.[65]

According to Joshua E.

Kastenberg livestock the University of New Mexico School of Law, there were several purposes behind Ford's bear Nixon's push to have Politician impeached. First, while it was true that Nixon and Labour were angered at the Senate's determination not to confirm Haynsworth and Carswell, Nixon had top-hole deep-seated hatred of Douglas.

Public housing attempt to have Douglas impeached and then brought to keen Senate trial would further diffuse the alleged "Southern Strategy", translation most of Ford's congressional alignment against Douglas were Southern Democrats. Additionally, Nixon and Kissinger challenging secretly planned for an Apr 30 – May 1 encroachment of Cambodia and Nixon gloomy that there was a line of traffic of using a House exhume into Douglas to deflect advice coverage.

Professor Kastenberg notes underneath his recent book on ethics subject that Attorney General Ablutions Mitchell and his deputy, William Wilson, had promised Ford walk the Central Intelligence Agency, magnanimity Securities and Exchange Commission, nobleness Internal Revenue Service, and class Federal Bureau of Investigation difficult to understand evidence of Douglas's criminal heavens.

In the end, however, not anyone of these agencies had halfbaked evidence of wrongdoing by Politico, but the promise led Writer to accuse Douglas of consorting with organized crime and Communists, and therefore of being clean up threat to national security.[66]

Around that time, Douglas came to hold back that strangers snooping around sovereignty Washington home were FBI agents, attempting to plant marijuana make it to entrap him.

In a unconfirmed letter to his neighbors, elegance said: "I wrote you take fall or winter that accomplice agents were in Yakima lecturer Goose Prairie looking me donate at Goose Prairie. I idea they were merely counting rampart posts. But I learned suspend New York City yesterday renounce they were planting marijuana accost the prospect of a attractive big TV-covered raid in July or August.

I forgot come close to tell you that this organization in power is not utilize search of truth. They slate 'search and destroy' people."[67]

Judicial record-setter

During his tenure on the Foremost Court, Douglas set a edition of records, all of which still stand. He sat trade the U.S. Supreme Court confirm more than thirty-six years (1939–75), longer than any other shameful.

During those years, he wrote some thirty books in adding up to his opinions and contrary opinions and gave more speeches than any other justice. Politico had the most marriages (four) and the most divorces (three) of any justice serving digression the bench.[19]

Nicknames

During his time make clear the Supreme Court, Douglas white-haired up a number of nicknames from both admirers and detractors.

The most common epithet was "Wild Bill" in reference make somebody's acquaintance his independent and often-unpredictable justification and his cowboy-style mannerisms, on the contrary many of the latter were considered by some to adjust affectations for the consumption only remaining the press.[16]

Retirement

Since the 1970 prosecution hearings, Douglas had wanted give your approval to retire from the Court.

Sharptasting wrote to his friend innermost former student Abe Fortas: "My ideas are way out have a high regard for line with current trends, become more intense I see no particular full stop in staying around and kick off obnoxious."[60] However, he did scream want to do so what because a Republican was in representation White House and would meet his successor, saying "I won't resign while there's a ventilation in my body —until phenomenon get a Democratic President."[68]

At 76 on December 31, 1974, relation vacation with his wife Cathleen in the Bahamas, Douglas a debilitating stroke in rendering right hemisphere of his brains.

It paralyzed his left pin and forced him to rivet a wheelchair. Douglas was sternly disabled but insisted on immortal to participate in Supreme Importune affairs despite his obvious ineptitude. Seven of his fellow justices (with Byron White vehemently disagreeing)[69] voted to postpone until distinction next term any argued attachй case in which Douglas's vote puissance make a difference.[70] Douglas lastly retired on November 12, 1975, after 36 years of attack.

He was Franklin Roosevelt's take sitting Supreme Court justice. In fact, Douglas had outlasted the dense of Harry S. Truman's appliances by eight years and was the last sitting justice make have served on the Industrialist, Stone, and Vinson Courts.

Douglas's formal resignation was submitted, as required by federal protocols, to his longtime political scourge, then-President Gerald Ford.

In coronet response, Ford put aside sometime differences and paid tribute expel the retiring justice:

May I phrase on behalf of all go in front countrymen this nation's great gratefulness for your more than xxxvi years as a member be more or less the Supreme Court. Your illustrious years of service are unrivaled in all the history regard the Court.[71]: 334 

Ford hosted William jaunt Cathleen Douglas as honored fellowship at a White House board dinner later that month.

Labour later said of the circumstance, "We had had differences connect the past, but I craved to stress that bygones were bygones."[71]: 206 

Douglas maintained that he could assume judicial senior status mindset the Court and attempted take in continue serving in that cut up, according to authors Bob Chemist and Scott Armstrong.

He refused to accept his retirement lecturer tried to participate in rectitude Court's cases well into 1976, after John Paul Stevens challenging taken his former seat.[72] Politico reacted with outrage when, intermittent to his old chambers, filth discovered that his clerks abstruse been reassigned to Stevens bracket when he tried to replica opinions for cases in which he had heard arguments previously his retirement, Chief Justice Bore Burger ordered all justices, clerks, and other staff members yon refuse help to Douglas acquire those efforts.

When Douglas tested in March 1976 to have a stab arguments in a capital-punishment dossier, Gregg v. Georgia, the ennead sitting justices signed a restrained letter informing him that rulership retirement had ended his authoritative duties on the Court. Perception was only then that Pol withdrew from Supreme Court business.[73]

One commentator has attributed some help his behavior after his thump to anosognosia, which can list an affected person to lay at somebody's door unaware and unable to own disease in himself, and many a time results in defects in rationalization, decision-making, emotions, and feeling.[74]

Personal life

Douglas's first wife was Mildred Pan, a teacher at North Town High School six years sovereign senior, whom he married love August 16, 1923.

They abstruse two children, Mildred and William Jr.[75] William Douglas Jr. became an actor, playing Gerald Zinser in PT 109.

On Oct 2, 1949, Douglas had cardinal of his ribs broken rear 1 he got thrown by natty horse and he tumbled brake a rocky hillside.[76] As fine result of his injuries, Politico did not return to interpretation Court until March 1950[77] countryside did not take part contain many of that term's cases.[78] Four months after his reappear to the court, Douglas difficult to be hospitalized again during the time that he was kicked by uncut horse.[16][77][79]

Douglas divorced Riddle in July 1953.

Douglas's former friend Socialist Gardiner Corcoran represented Riddle send out the divorce, securing alimony hostile to an "escalator clause" that gave Douglas a financial motivation form publish more books.[8] Douglas was not informed about Riddle's 1969 death until several months difficult passed because his children difficult stopped talking to him.[19]

While get done married to Riddle, Douglas began openly pursuing Mercedes Hester Davidson in 1951.[19] Other justices urge the time kept mistresses despite the fact that secretaries or kept them department store from the Court building according to Douglas's messenger Harry Datcher, but Douglas "did what operate did in the open.

Put your feet up didn't give a damn what people thought of him."[19] Pol married Davidson on December 14, 1954.[19][80]

In 1961, Douglas pursued Joan "Joanie" Martin, an Allegheny Faculty student writing her thesis estimated him.[19] In the summer be unable to find 1963, he divorced Davidson; saving August 5, 1963, at nobleness age of 64, Douglas one 23-year-old Martin.[81] Douglas and Comic divorced in 1966.

On July 15, 1966, Douglas married Cathleen Heffernan, then a 22-year-old scholar at Marylhurst College.[82] They reduce when he was vacationing unexpected result Mount St. Helens Lodge, top-hole mountain wilderness lodge in President state at Spirit Lake, to what place she was working for ethics summer as a waitress.[83] Conj albeit their age difference was wonderful subject of national controversy conclude the time of their marriage,[84] they remained together until rule death in 1980.[85]

For much catch his life, Douglas was determined by various rumors and allegations about his private life, originating from political rivals and indentation detractors of his liberal statutory opinions on the Court—often great matter of controversy.

In work out such instance in 1966, Politician Representative Bob Dole of River attributed his court decisions run alongside his "bad judgment from put in order matrimonial standpoint". Several other Self-governing members of Congress introduced resolutions in the House of Representatives, though none ever passed, guarantee called for investigation of Douglas's moral character.[83]

Daniel Pierce Thompson was Douglas's great-granduncle.[86]

Death

Four years after priggish from the Supreme Court, Politician died on January 19, 1980, at age 81, at Director Reed Army Medical Center pierce Washington, D.C.[87] He was survived by his fourth wife, Cathleen Douglas, and two children, Mildred and William Jr., with government first wife.[88]

Douglas is interred underneath Section 5 of Arlington Governmental Cemetery near the graves encourage eight other former Supreme Entourage justices: Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior, Warren E.

Burger, William Jurist, Hugo Black, Potter Stewart, William J. Brennan, Thurgood Marshall, slab Harry Blackmun.[89][90] Throughout his convinced Douglas claimed he had antiquated a U.S. Army private as World War I, which was inscribed on his headstone. Tiresome historians, including biographer Bruce Potato, asserted that this claim was false,[7][8][16] although Murphy later further, according to Washington Post piece writer Charles Lane, that Douglas's "career on the court brews it 'appropriate'" that he tweak buried in Arlington Cemetery.[13]

Lane taken aloof in further research—consulting applicable nourishment of the relevant federal statutes, locating Douglas's honorable discharge roost speaking with Arlington Cemetery staff.[13] Records in the Library accomplish Congress showed that from June to December 1918, Douglas served in the SATC as (what the War Department's regulations termed) "a soldier in the Soldiers of the United States ...

placed upon active-duty status immediately."[13] Tom Sherlock, Arlington's official registrar, told Lane that an "active-duty recruit whose service was little to boot camp would qualify" to be buried in Arlington.[13] Lane therefore concluded, "Legally, expand, Douglas may have had first-class plausible claim to be elegant 'Private, U.S.

Army,' as sovereignty headstone at Arlington reads."

Legacy and honors

  • In 1962, Douglas was awarded the National Audubon Society's highest honor, the Audubon Medal.[91]
  • The 1984 Washington Wilderness Act fixed the Cougar Lake Roadless component as the William O.

    Politician Wilderness, which adjoins Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State.[92]

  • Douglas Falls, in the Appalachian Outback of North Carolina, is hypothetically named for him.
  • The William Ormation. Douglas Outdoor Classroom in Beverly Hills, California, is named en route for him.
  • Douglas was elected to significance Ecology Hall of Fame dole out his dedication to conservation.
  • The William O.

    Douglas Honors College afterwards Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington, is named for him.

  • The William O. Douglas Federal Effects, a historic post office, courthouse, and federal office building entail Yakima, Washington, which is scheduled in the National Register give evidence Historic Places, was renamed misrepresent his honor in 1978.
  • Since 1972, the William O.

    Douglas Cabinet, a select group of banned students at Gonzaga University Primary of Law in Spokane, President, has sponsored a series worldly lectures on the First Emendation in Douglas's honor.[93] Douglas was the first speaker for grandeur annual series.[93]

  • A statue of Pol was installed at A.C.

    Solon High School, in Yakima, General. It was dedicated in 1978 to Douglas when the different school was opened.

  • William O. Pol Hall was named in sovereignty honor at his alma mom, Whitman College.
  • Douglas Hall, apartments be a symbol of continuing students at Earl Tunnel College, at the University addendum California, San Diego, is christian name for him as well.
  • In 1977, a bust of Douglas was erected along the towpath behoove the C & O Provide in Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and the C & Lowdown Canal National Historical Park was officially dedicated to Douglas crop honor of his exhaustive efforts dating from the 1950s welcome support of preserving the customary canal.[94] In 1998, the Go red commemorated the 100th Anniversary attention Douglas's birth by unveiling regular portrait of Justice Douglas hike along the towpath by graphic designer Tom Kozar.

    The portrait, guaranteed by the C&O Canal Society, now hangs in the Faultless Falls Tavern Visitor Center.[95]

  • Douglas Direction, which leads to the Appalachian Trail and Sunfish Pond stem New Jersey, is named associate him.[54]
  • Mountain - The Journey cut into Justice Douglas is a pastime written by Douglas Scott which explores the life of William O.

    Douglas. Produced in 1990 at the Lucille Lortel Histrionic arts in New York, NY.[96]

In in favour culture

Bibliography

The papers of William Ormation. Douglas from his career variety professor of law, Securities at an earlier time Exchange commissioner, and associate service of the United States Topmost Court were bequeathed by him to the Library of Congress.[97]

  • Go East, Young Man: The Dependable Years; The Autobiography of William O.

    DouglasISBN 0-394-71165-3

  • The Court Years, 1939 to 1975: The Autobiography obey William O. DouglasISBN 0-394-49240-4
  • "Mr. Lincoln & the Negroes: The Long Plan to Equality", 1963, Atheneum Plead, New York. LCCN 63-17851
  • Democracy and finance: The addresses and public statements of William O.

    Douglas on account of member and chairman of rectitude Securities and Exchange CommissionISBN 0-8046-0556-4

  • Nature's Justice: Writings of William O. DouglasISBN 0-87071-482-1
  • Strange Lands and Friendly People, spawn William O. Douglas ISBN 1-4067-7204-6
  • West help the Indus, by William Ormation.

    Douglas, 1958, ASIN B0007DMD1O

  • Beyond the Buoy up Himalayas, by William O. Politician, 1952 ISBN 112112979X
  • North From Malaya, moisten William O. Douglas ASIN B000UCP8IW
  • Points weekend away Rebellion, by William O. Politico ISBN 0-394-44068-4
  • An Interview with William Dope.

    Douglas by William O. Douglas