Richard Law (judge)

Richard Law
Richard Law
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
	In office; September 26, 1789 – January 26, 1806
Appointed by	George Washington
Preceded by	Seat established by 1 Stat. 73
Succeeded by	Pierpont Edwards
Personal details
Born	Richard Law; March 7, 1733; Milford, Connecticut Colony, British America
Died	January 26, 1806 (aged 72); New London, Connecticut
Resting place	Cedar Grove Cemetery; New London, Connecticut
Children	Lyman Law
Relatives	John Law
Education	Yale University; read law

Richard Law (March 7, 1733 – January 26, 1806) was a delegate to the First Continental Congress, Second Continental Congress and the Congress of the Confederation. He was Mayor of New London, Connecticut and a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.

Education and career

Born on March 7, 1733, in Milford, Connecticut Colony, British America,[1] Law pursued classical studies,[2] graduated from Yale University in 1751 and read law in 1755.[1] He was admitted to the bar in January 1755, and entered private practice in Milford from 1755 to 1757.[1] He continued private practice in New London, Connecticut Colony from 1757 to 1765.[1] He was a Justice of the Peace for New London from 1765 to 1775.[1] He was a member of the Connecticut General Assembly from 1765 to 1776.[1] He was Chief Judge of the New London County Court from 1773 to 1784.[1] He was Clerk of the Connecticut General Assembly from 1774 to 1776.[1] He was an assistant to the Connecticut General Assembly from 1776 to 1786.[1] He was a member of the Connecticut Council of Safety in May 1776.[2] He was a delegate, successively to the First Continental Congress, Second Continental Congress and the Congress of the Confederation in 1774, in 1776, in 1777, and from 1780 to 1783.[1] He was a Judge of the Connecticut Superior Court in New London from 1784 to 1789, serving as Chief Judge from 1786 to 1789.[1] He was the Mayor of New London, Connecticut from 1784 to 1806.[1] [3]

Notable case

In October 1786, Richard Law presided over the trial of twelve year old Hannah Ocuish, a half-Pequot Indian girl, for the murder of six year old Eunice Bolles.[4] Upon the conclusion of the trial, Law sentenced the young girl to death on October 16, 1786.[4] Ocuish was hanged for her crime on December 20, 1786, three months shy of her thirteenth birthday.[4]

Federal judicial service

Law was nominated by President George Washington on September 24, 1789, to the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, to a new seat authorized by 1 Stat. 73.[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 26, 1789, and received his commission the same day.[1] His service terminated on January 26, 1806, due to his death in New London.[1] He was interred in Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London.[2]

Family

Law was the father of Lyman Law, a United States Representative from Connecticut, and grandfather of John Law, a United States Representative from Indiana.[2]

References

Richard Law at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
United States Congress. "Richard Law (id: L000127)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Marshall, Benjamin Tinkham (1922). A Modern History of New London County, Connecticut, Volume 1. New London, Connecticut: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 238.
Streib, Victor L., Death Penalty for Juveniles. Indiana University Press. 1987. Pgs 74-75.

Sources

United States Congress. "Richard Law (id: L000127)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. (erroneously listed as having been a judge on the Connecticut Supreme Court instead of the Connecticut Superior Court)
Richard Law at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
Streib, Victor L., Death Penalty for Juveniles. Indiana University Press. 1987. Pgs 74-75.

Party political offices
First	Democratic-Republican nominee for Governor of Connecticut 1801	Succeeded by Ephraim Kirby
Legal offices
Preceded by Seat established by 1 Stat. 73	Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut 1789–1806	Succeeded by Pierpont Edwards

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[FJC-1] Richard Law at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

[CB-2] United States Congress. "Richard Law (id: L000127)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

[:0-3] Marshall, Benjamin Tinkham (1922). A Modern History of New London County, Connecticut, Volume 1. New London, Connecticut: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 238.

[Streib-4] Streib, Victor L., Death Penalty for Juveniles. Indiana University Press. 1987. Pgs 74-75.