Ira F. Thompson

Ira Francis Thompson
Thompson in 1933
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
In office
December 31, 1932 – August 4, 1937
Appointed byGovernor James Rolph Jr.
Preceded byJohn E. Richards
Succeeded byFrederick W. Houser
Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Second District, Division Two
In office
October 5, 1926 – December 30, 1932
Appointed byGovernor Friend Richardson
Succeeded byAlbert Lee Stephens Sr.
Personal details
Born(1885-06-20)June 20, 1885
Crawford County, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedAugust 4, 1937(1937-08-04) (aged 52)
Berkeley, California, U.S.
Spouse
Cora Hilda Manning
​
(m. 1910)​
EducationUniversity of California, Berkeley (A.B., LL.B.)

Ira Francis Thompson (June 20, 1885 – August 4, 1937) was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California from December 31, 1932, to August 4, 1937.

Early years

Born on a farm in Crawford County, Wisconsin, to Josiah Thompson and Zylphia Alderman Thompson lost his father and mother when he was a child. At the age of 15, he moved to Eureka, California to begin high school, from which he graduated in 1904. After school, he worked part-time running errands at his half brother's (James Franklin Thompson's) newspaper, the Humboldt Standard.

Thompson completed a BA and an LLB (1909) at the University of California, Berkeley, where he paid his own school fees and finished a six-year law curriculum in four years. On July 2, 1909, he was admitted to the State Bar of California.

Career

Thompson worked for a year following graduation in Oakland at Reed, Black & Reed. Then moved to Los Angeles and practiced with John F. Manning at Manning, Thompson & Hoover. Thompson immersed himself in civic causes and Republican Party politics.

Thompson was unsuccessful in his November 1920 Republican ticket bid for judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. During the campaign, he gave a speech to the Sons of America opposing citizenship for Japanese immigrants. In 1923, Governor Friend Richardson appointed him a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

In October 1926, Governor Friend Richardson elevated Thompson to the position of Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Second District. He was re-elected to this office. In Summer 1928, he lectured on ethics at the University of Southern California.

On December 8, 1932, Governor James Rolph Jr. appointed Thompson to the California Supreme Court to fill the vacant seat following the death of John E. Richards. Thompson began his term on December 31, 1932, and the term expired January 1, 1935. To fill Thompson's seat on the Court of Appeal, Governor Rolph appointed Judge Albert Lee Stephens Sr. of the Los Angeles Superior Court to the position. Thompson was successful in his bid on the Republican ticket for his November 1934 re-election to a 12-year term.

Death

Thompson would die while in office on August 4, 1937. Rolph appointment Frederick W. Houser to the Supreme Court.

Personal life

While at UC Berkeley, he met his future wife, Cora Hilda Manning. On June 1, 1910, they married and would have two children: Elizabeth and John.

Judicial experience

Professional background

References

  1. ↑ Johnson, J. Edward (1966). History of the California Supreme Court: The Justices 1900-1950, vol 2 (PDF). San Francisco, CA: Bancroft-Whitney. pp. 46–47. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 25, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Thompson, Friend of the Press". Sausalito News. No. 32. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 10 August 1934. p. 2. Retrieved August 11, 2017. This editor has known Ira Thompson since school days in Eureka where the present eminent jurist did his first work in the office of the old Humboldt Standard. Outside of school hours he practically 'lived' in the newspaper shop doing all sorts of jobs such as any youngster is put to whose uncle is a newspaper publisher.
  3. ↑ Register - University of California, Volume 2. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. 1936. p. 17. Retrieved August 11, 2017. Council of the Alumni Association, Ira F. Thompson, B.L., 1909.
  4. ↑ Bench and Bar of Los Angeles County. Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles Daily Journal. 1922. p. 36. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Twelve New Disciples of Blackstone Licensed". San Francisco Call. Vol. 106, no. 34. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 4 July 1909. p. 30. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Enters Judicial Race". Los Angeles Herald. No. 208. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 1 July 1920. p. A13. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  7. ↑ The Grizzly Bear Magazine, Volume 27. Grizzly Bear Publishing Company. July 1920. p. 24. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Thanks Herald for Aid in Campaign". Los Angeles Herald. No. 5. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 6 November 1920. p. B1. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Post Will Discuss Jap Problem Tonight". Los Angeles Herald. No. 247. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 16 August 1920. p. A12. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Declares Japanese Are Unassimilative". Los Angeles Herald. No. 248. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 17 August 1920. p. B1. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  11. ↑ "The Core, No More". Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar. No. 24. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 30 August 1923. p. 4. Retrieved August 10, 2017. Ira F. Thompson, one of the six newly appointed superior judges, by Governor Richardson
  12. ↑ "Brother of Local Woman Appointed To Appellate Bench". Healdsburg Tribune. No. 269. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 6 October 1926. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Summer Quarter Courses Planned". Daily Trojan. Vol. 19, no. 114. University of Southern California. April 17, 1928. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2017. Ethics, Judge Ira F. Thompson, 2 units
  14. ↑ "Rolph Elevates Judge Thompson". Healdsburg Tribune. No. 32. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 9 December 1932. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Newest Justice". Healdsburg Tribune. No. 57. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 11 January 1933. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2017. Photo of Ira F. Thompson
  16. ↑ "Appointed to the Supreme Court". Madera Tribune. No. 47. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 28 December 1932. p. 2. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Four County Offices Face Run Off in November Election as Six Win Out by Primary Vote". Sausalito News. No. 35. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 31 August 1934. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Politix". Sausalito News. No. 33. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 17 August 1934. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Society, Charming Bride of Last Week Who Had College Romance, Mrs. Ira F. Thompson". Los Angeles Herald. Vol. 37, no. 247. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 5 June 1910. p. 8. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Society". Los Angeles Herald. No. 115. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 24 January 1909. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2017. Engagement announcement
  21. ↑ "Alexander Valley News". Healdsburg Tribune. No. 200. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 6 July 1933. p. 3. Retrieved August 11, 2017. Mrs. W. E. Powell had as her holiday guests her brother and his wife, Judge and Mrs. Ira Thompson, and daughter and son, Betty and John, of Berkeley.

See also