Overview
Although this collection begins with some miscellaneous material from the Harvard law review, the bulk of these briefs is drawn from Judd's years in private practice and from his time as Solicitor General of New York. The Judd Briefs also includes judicial opinions published and speeches given by the judge during his tenure on the United States District Court for Eastern New York.
Dates
- Creation: 1928-1976
Conditions Governing Access
Access to these papers is governed by the rules and regulations of the Harvard Law School Library. This collection is open to the public, but is housed off-site at Harvard Depository and requires 2 business-day advance notice for retrieval. Consult the Special Collections staff for further information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Harvard Law School Library holds copyright on some, but not all, of the material in our collections. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be directed to the Special Collections staff. Researchers who obtain permission to publish from the Harvard Law School Library are also responsible for identifying and contacting the persons or organizations who hold copyright.
Extent
16 boxesThe papers of Hon. Orrin Grimmell Judd (1906-1976) span his legal career in 93 volumes, beginning with miscellaneous papers from his time as a Harvard Law Review editor and U.S. Court of Appeals law clerk (Volume 4) and continuing through his tenure as U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of New York.
Mr. Judd once remarked that "Private practice of law is still the most rewarding and soul-satisfying of all professions," and indeed, the bulk of his papers is drawn from his years in private practice with Davies, Auerbach & Cornell (1931-1942, Volumes 1-3, 5-36) and with Goldstein, Judd & Gurfein (Volumes 56-86; 82 missing). These volumes consist almost exclusively of legal briefs and memoranda relating to Mr. Judd's private practice.
Volumes 37-55 contain Mr. Judd's work from his time as Solicitor General of New York (1943-1946).
As a practitioner, Mr. Judd was a staunch generalist in a time of increasing legal specialization. He once said, "The current emphasis on specialization should be attacked. The world needs generalists who can present ideas that are not limited to but one of the many symptoms of the disease that afflict our society." The briefs and memoranda in this collection range from wills and estates cases (Mr. Judd was the King's County, N.Y. Surrogate in 1964) to transportation and utilities, and from investments and securities to religious liberties.
President Lyndon Johnson appointed Mr. Judd to the federal bench in 1968. A conscientious and compassionate judge, Mr. Judd took to visiting jails and detention facilities. One such visit led him to order the cleanup of Staten Island's Willowbrook State School for the Mentally Retarded in 1973. That same year, in a more controversial ruling, the judge issued an injunction to halt the bombing of Cambodia; it was later overruled by the Court of Appeals.
The final eight volumes of the collection (87-94) contain judicial opinions published and speeches given by the judge during his tenure on the district court.
Historical/Biographical Information
Judd, Orrin Grimmell, 1906-1976, lawyer, judge.
Born September 5, 1906 in Brooklyn, New York.
A.B., Colgate University, 1926.
LL.B., Harvard University, 1930. Editor, Harvard Law Review.
Law Clerk, Judge Learned Hand, U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, 1930-1931.
In practice with Davies, Auerbach & Cornell, New York, 1931-1942.
Married Persis Mae Dolloff, 1936.
Solicitor General, State of New York, 1943-1946.
Partner, Goldstein, Judd & Gurfein, New York.
Trustee, Colgate University.
Alumni Award, Colgate University, 1962.
Honorary LL.D., Colgate University, 1963.
Surrogate, King's County, New York, 1964.
U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of New York, 1968-1976.
Executive Committee, Brotherhood-in-Action, Inc.
Advisory Council, New York State Commission of Human Relations.
Director, East New York Baptist Housing Corporation.
Died of a heart attack July 7, 1976 while attending a judicial seminar in Aspen, Colorado.
Physical Location
Harvard Depository
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was a gift from his son, the Rev. Orrin R. Judd to the Harvard Law Library on November 29, 1976.
Processing Information
Processed by Jennifer Carter, 2004.
Subject
- Harvard Law Review (Organization)
- Title
- Judd, Orrin Grimmell. Briefs, 1928-1976: Finding Aid
- Author
- Harvard Law School LibraryCambridge, MA 02138
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- law00154
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard Law School Library, Historical & Special Collections Repository
Harvard Law School Library's Historical & Special Collections (HSC) collects, preserves, and makes available research materials for the study of the law and legal history. HSC holds over 8,000 linear feet of manuscripts, over 100,000 rare books, and more than 70,000 visual images.
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