Fortas

Fortas
Name	Fortas
Office	Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Nominator	Lyndon B. Johnson
Term start	October 4, 1965
Term end	May 14, 1969
Predecessor	Arthur Goldberg
Successor	Harry Blackmun
Party	Democratic

Fortas. Abe Fortas was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1965 until his resignation in 1969. His tenure, though brief, was marked by a strong liberal voice on the Warren Court and was ultimately cut short by a significant financial scandal. Prior to his judicial appointment, he was a prominent figure in Washington, D.C. legal and political circles, co-founding the influential law firm Arnold & Porter and serving as a close advisor to President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Early life and education

He was born in Memphis, Tennessee to immigrant parents. Demonstrating early academic promise, he attended Southwestern College in his hometown. He later earned a scholarship to Yale Law School, where he excelled and became a protégé of the renowned legal scholar William O. Douglas. His performance at Yale Law School led to a position as an assistant professor there, forging connections that would deeply influence his future career in both private practice and public service.

Legal career

After a stint with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Chairman William O. Douglas, he entered private practice. In 1946, he co-founded the law firm Arnold & Porter, which quickly gained prominence in the nation's capital. His most famous early case was his successful advocacy before the Supreme Court of the United States in Gideon v. Wainwright, which established the right to counsel for indigent defendants. He also developed an exceptionally close relationship with then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, famously helping secure Johnson's contested primary victory in the 1948 United States Senate election in Texas.

Supreme Court tenure

President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1965 to replace the departing Arthur Goldberg. On the bench, he was a consistent liberal vote, aligning with Chief Justice Earl Warren and Justice William J. Brennan Jr.. He authored the landmark majority opinion in In re Gault, which extended crucial due process protections to juveniles in delinquency proceedings. He also joined the majority in pivotal decisions affirming the right to privacy and expanding protections under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Controversies and resignation

His career unraveled in 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated him to succeed the retiring Earl Warren as Chief Justice of the United States. During the contentious confirmation hearings before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, it was revealed he had accepted a large retainer from the family foundation of financier Louis Wolfson, who was later convicted of securities violations. Although he returned the money, the scandal led to a filibuster and the withdrawal of his chief justice nomination. The following year, a *Life* magazine article exposed further financial dealings, prompting an investigation by the United States House of Representatives and leading to his resignation from the Court in May 1969.

Later life and death

Following his resignation, he returned to private legal practice in Washington, D.C.. He maintained a low public profile but remained an active and respected attorney, occasionally arguing cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. He also engaged in writing and lecturing on legal issues. He died from a ruptured aorta in 1982, with his funeral services held in the Washington National Cathedral.

Legacy

His legacy is profoundly mixed, defined by both significant jurisprudential contributions and a historic ethical downfall. His opinion in In re Gault remains a cornerstone of juvenile justice law. However, his resignation established a modern precedent for ethical conduct for members of the federal judiciary, influencing subsequent scrutiny of nominees like Clement Haynsworth and G. Harrold Carswell. The scandal surrounding his relationship with Louis Wolfson is frequently cited in discussions of judicial ethics and the separation of the judiciary from improper outside financial influences.

Category:Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States Category:American lawyers Category:Yale Law School alumni