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Vernon Robert Pearson

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American judge
The HonorableVernon Robert Pearson
Justice of the Washington Supreme Court
In office
1982 (1982)–1989 (1989)
Appointed byGovernor John Spellman
Preceded byFloyd Hicks
Succeeded byRichard P. Guy
Personal details
Born(1923-09-17)September 17, 1923
Bantry, North Dakota, U.S.
DiedFebruary 4, 2013(2013-02-04) (aged 89)
Gig Harbor, Washington, U.S.
Residence(s)Tacoma, Washington
Alma materJamestown College (BA), University of Michigan Law School (LLB)
Occupation
  • judge

Vernon Robert Pearson (September 17, 1923 – February 4, 2013) was an American jurist.

Biography

Born in Bantry, North Dakota, Pearson served four years in the U.S. Navy prior to graduating from Jamestown College in 1947. He received his law degree from University of Michigan Law School in 1950.

From 1951 to 1952, he was attorney-advisor for the federal Economic Stabilization Agency in Seattle, working for William J. Steinert, a former justice of the state Supreme Court. Afterwards, Pearson engaged in the private practice of law with Davies, Pearson, Anderson and Pearson in Tacoma. In 1963, Pearson served as president of the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, and was elected a governor of the Washington State Bar Association in 1969, before being appointed to the appellate court.

Pearson was appointed by Governor Daniel J. Evans to the newly created Washington Court of Appeals in 1969. Pearson authored the first Court of Appeals opinion in the initial volume of the appellate reports, State v. Tate, 1 Wn. App. 1 (1969).

In 1982, Governor John Spellman appointed Pearson as an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court. He served as an associate justice from 1982 to 1987, having been named Acting Chief Justice in 1985, and then chief justice from 1987 to 1989.

He died in Gig Harbor, Washington.

Notes

  1. "Alumni Hall of Fame". Jamestown University. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  2. Proceedings of the Board of Regents of University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan. 1948. p. 541. Retrieved June 7, 2017. First November Meeting, 1949: Fellowship and Scholarship Recipients
  3. "Past Presidents". Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  4. Fuller, Tim. "'The Most Accurate and Useful Law Books Possible,' Wash. Terr., Wash., Wn.2d, and Wn. App. Milestones of Official Case Reporting in Washington". Washington State Courts. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  5. Sheldon, Charles H. A Century of Judging. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. pp. 171–172. ISBN 0295803290. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  6. "4 new justices make history on high court", Spokane Chronicle (January 14, 1985), p. 3.
  7. "Former Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Vernon Robert Pearson dies". Oregonian. Associated Press-Tacoma News Tribune. February 14, 2013. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  8. Washington Supreme Court, Biographical Sketch of Vernon R. Pearson Archived August 31, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

Selected publications

Political offices
Preceded byFloyd Hicks Justice of the Washington Supreme Court
1982–1989 		Succeeded byRichard P. Guy


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