Charles F. McDevitt
{{Short description|American judge (1932–2021)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Charles McDevitt
| birth_date = January 5, 1932
| birth_place = Pocatello, Idaho, U.S.
| office = Chief Justice of the
Idaho Supreme Court
| term_start = 1993
| term_end = 1997
| predecessor= Robert Bakes
| successor = Linda Copple Trout
| office1 = Justice of the
Idaho Supreme Court
| term_start1 = August 31, 1989
| term_end1 = August 31, 1997
| predecessor1 = Allan Shepard
| successor1 = Jesse Walters
| appointer1 = Cecil Andrus
| office2 = Member of the Idaho House of Representatives
| term_start2 = 1963
| term_end2 = 1966
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|5|29|1932|1|5}}
| death_place = Boise, Idaho, U.S.
| education = University of Idaho (LLB)
| nickname =
|allegiance = United States
|branch = U.S. Army
| serviceyears = 1952–54
| rank = Corporal
| unit =
| commands =
| battles = Cold War
| mawards =
| military_blank1 =
| military_data1 =
| military_blank2 =
| military_data2 =
}}
Charles Francis McDevitt (January 5, 1932 – May 29, 2021) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist. He was a justice of the Idaho Supreme Court from 1989 to 1997, serving as chief justice from 1993 to 1997.
Early life and education
Born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho, McDevitt graduated from Pocatello High School and attended Idaho State College for a year. He transferred to the University of Idaho in Moscow, then served in the U.S. Army for two years, returned to the U of I in 1954, and received his LL.B degree from its College of Law in 1956."Boyle, McDevitt add experience to bench", The Times-News (August 8, 1989), p. B-4.{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/uidaho_gem_1956/page/62/mode/2up?view=theater |work=Gem of the Mountains |publisher=University of Idaho yearbook|title=Seniors|date=1956|page=62}}
Career
McDevitt practiced law in Boise and was general counsel for Boise Cascade from 1962 to 1968. In 1962, he was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives and was re-elected in 1964. He left the legislature in 1966 to become president of Beck Industries in New York City. He also worked as an executive at the Singer Corporation before returning to Boise, where he joined the Ada County Prosecutor's Office as a trial attorney.{{Cite web|title=Givens Pursley LLP|url=https://www.givenspursley.com/news-events/givens-pursley-mourns-the-passing-of-one-of-its-founders-charles-mcdevitt|access-date=2021-10-10|website=Givens Pursley LLP|language=en}}
In August 1989, McDevitt was appointed to the Idaho Supreme Court by Governor Cecil Andrus; the seat was vacated by the death of Allan Shepard in May.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kLBfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_DIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2045%2C1988017 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |title=Andrus names 2 justices |date=August 8, 1989 |page=1A}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=C3dfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iS8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5002%2C115228 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |title=Pocatello man sworn to state high court |date=September 1, 1989 |page=8B}}
Following his retirement from the court in 1997, McDevitt served on an ethics panel convened by the state legislature."Retired chief justice named to study panel", The Twin Falls Times-News (October 25, 1997), p. 12.
Death
McDevitt died in Boise in 2021 at the age of 89.{{cite web|url=https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/former-idaho-chief-justice-charles-mcdevitt-dies-at-89/article_c5eecf37-5034-54c6-ad58-b722b8d246cb.html |title=Former Idaho Chief Justice Charles McDevitt dies at 89|publisher =Idaho Press|date=June 3, 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/In-Memoriam/boise-mourns-the-loss-of-park-and-recreation-advocate-charles-f.-mcdevitt/ National Recreation and Park Association] – October 2021 tribute
- [https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/idahostatesman/name/charles-francis-mcdevitt-obituary?id=12989971 Obituary]
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{{succession box
|title=Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court
|before=Allan Shepard
|after=Jesse Walters
|years=1989–1997}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDevitt, Charles F.}}
Category:Politicians from Pocatello, Idaho
Category:University of Idaho College of Law alumni
Category:Members of the Idaho House of Representatives
Category:Justices of the Idaho Supreme Court
Category:20th-century members of the Idaho Legislature
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