Charles Tenney Donworth (February 15, 1892 – June 10, 1976)[1][2] was a justice of the Washington Supreme Court from September 12, 1949 to December 31, 1967.

Early life, education, and career

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Born in Seattle, Washington, to prominent attorney George Donworth, who later became a United States federal judge,[3] Donworth attended Andover Academy (later called Phillips Academy) in Massachusetts and received an undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1914, followed by a law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 1916.[1][4]

Donworth served in the United States Army during World War I,[1] and "practiced law in Seattle for 33 years".[5]

Judicial service

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On August 29, 1949, Governor Arthur B. Langlie announced the appointment of Donworth to a seat on the state supreme court to succeed retiring justice William J. Steinert.[4] Following his appointment to the court in 1949, Donworth was re-elected to the seat in 1950, 1956 and 1962, and was also designated chief justice in 1956.[5] Donworth served on the court until 1968,[1] having retired effective December 31, 1967, pursuant to a Washington law "requiring the judges to retire at the end of the year in which they become 70".[5]

Personal life and death

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In 1918, Donworth married Evelyn Carey,[3][6] daughter of a prominent Washington judge, with whom he had a son and a daughter. Evelyn died after an illness in 1934, at the age of 41.[6] Donworth then married Dorothy Lee Griffin of Fresno, California, in 1945.[7] Donworth died in a hospital in Olympia at the age of 84.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Retired Judge C.T. Donworth Dies Thursday", The Olympian (June 11, 1976), p. 2.
  2. ^ Office of the Administrator for the Courts, Judicial Administration in the Courts, State of Washington (1976).
  3. ^ a b "Engagement of Interest", The Tacoma News Tribune (January 23, 1918), 5.
  4. ^ a b "Langlie Chooses Seattle Lawyer", The Spokesman-Review (August 30, 1949), p. 1.
  5. ^ a b c "Justice Donworth Ends 18 Years On Supreme Court", The Olympian (November 22, 1967), p. 3.
  6. ^ a b "Death Beckons Mrs. Donworth", The Seattle Star (March 19, 1934), p. 1.
  7. ^ "Dorothy Griffin Will Be Bride Of Charles Donworth", The Fresno Bee (December 26, 1945), p. 5.
Political offices
Preceded by Justice of the Washington Supreme Court
1949–1967
Succeeded by