Gerald F. Schroeder
{{Short description|American judge}}
{{For|the Orthodox Jewish physicist|Gerald Schroeder}}
{{Infobox Judge
| image =
| name = Gerald F. Schroeder
| imagesize =
| caption =
| office = Chief Justice of Idaho
| termstart = {{Start date|2004|9|1}}
| termend = {{Start date|2007|7|31}}
| predecessor = Linda Copple Trout
| successor = Daniel Eismann
| office1 = Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court
| termstart1 = {{Start date|1995|1|20}}
| termend1 = {{Start date|2007|7|31}}
| appointer1 = Phil Batt
| predecessor1 = Stephen Bistline
| successor1 = Warren Jones
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1939|9|13}}
| birth_place = Boise, Idaho, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = College of Idaho (BA)
Harvard University (JD)
| profession = Attorney
| spouse =
| children =
| religion =
| party =
}}
Gerald Frank Schroeder{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/whoswhoinamerica0000unse_f8j3/page/576/mode/2up|title=Who's Who in American Law, 2002-2003|year=2002|publisher=Marquis Who's Who|page=576}} (born September 13, 1939) is a former American attorney and jurist who served as chief justice of Idaho. He was appointed to the court in 1995 by Governor Phil Batt,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QRYSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S_EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3131%2C297036 |title=Gov. Batt puts Schroeder on Supreme Court |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Associated Press |date=January 21, 1995 |page=B1 }} and was elected chief justice by his peers in 2004.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7FwlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OvAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1156%2C955419 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |location=Idaho-Washington |agency=Associated Press |last=Boone |first=Rebecca |title=After nearly 40 years, Idaho Chief Justice prepares to put down gavel |date=June 9, 2007 |page=5A }} He served on the court for over a dozen years and retired in July 2007.
Early life and education
Born in Boise, Idaho, Schroeder attended public schools in Caldwell, Idaho and Baker, Oregon, where he was salutatorian at Baker High School in 1957. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the College of Idaho in Caldwell in 1961, and initially planned on becoming a history professor. He took the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) on a whim and was accepted to Harvard Law School, earning his J.D. in 1964.
Career
After graduating from law school, Schroeder returned to Idaho and worked for several firms in Boise for three years. He was then appointed a deputy U.S. attorney {{nowrap|in 1967,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xI9fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1DAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3873%2C3695351 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho)|agency=Associated Press |title=Boise attorney wins appointment |date=June 21, 1967 |page=9}}}} became a county probate judge in 1969, and a magistrate two years later. He became a state judge in 1975 in the fourth district (Boise), a position he held for two decades, until his appointment to the state supreme court in {{nowrap|January 1995.}} Schroeder retained his seat in 1996 and 2002, running unopposed in both {{nowrap|statewide elections.{{cite web |url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/ELECT/results/1996/primary/primindx.htm |publisher=State of Idaho |title=Primary election results |date=May 28, 1996 |accessdate=September 1, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/ELECT/results/2002/primary/tot_stwd.htm |publisher=State of Idaho |title=Primary election results |date=May 28, 2002 |accessdate=September 1, 2015}}}}
As a district judge, Schroeder made headlines in 1987 as he ruled that the state lottery initiative, approved by voters the previous November, was unconstitutional.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=u4ZOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DvsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3374%2C2317847 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |location=Washington |title=Judge says lottery unconstitutional |date=March 27, 1987 |page=3 }} His decision was upheld 4-1 by the state supreme court,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=itgtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0NAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5621%2C700080 |newspaper=Idahonian |location=Moscow |agency=Associated Press |title=Lottery initiative declared illegal |date=June 7, 1988 |page=1A}} and resulted in an amendment to the state constitution. Voters approved that in November 1988,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=md1WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4fkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6128%2C1107819 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |location=Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Idaho lottery passes |date=November 9, 1988 |page=A1 }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_JMrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rdAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5652%2C1581449 |newspaper=Idahonian |location=Moscow |agency=Associated Press |title=Andrus seeks help to begin lottery |date=November 11, 1988 |page=1A }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tFhYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6vkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3265%2C1352558 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |location=Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Idaho's lottery startup growing near |date=June 9, 1989 |page=B8 }} and the lottery was launched in July 1989.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ySYuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gtAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5498%2C1601638 |newspaper=Idahonian |location=Moscow |agency=Associated Press |title=Idaho lottery a big hit on its first day |date=July 20, 1989 |page=10A }}
Schroeder ordered the execution of double-murderer Keith Wells in 1992. Carried out in January 1994, it was Idaho's first execution in over 36 years and the tenth in state history.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5MAjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=89AFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2517%2C429727 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |location=Idaho-Washington |agency=Associated Press |last=Fick |first=Bob |title=Killer put to death in Idaho's first execution in 36 years |date=January 6, 1994 |page=1A }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MlsfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GvEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4041%2C3915003 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |last=Miller |first=Dean |title=Murderer died a silent death, watched by silent witnesses |date=January 7, 1994 |page=B3 }}{{cite news|date=April 8, 1992|title=Man receives death sentence for two bludgeoning murders|page=B2|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|agency=Associated Press|location=Spokane, Washington|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8k5XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L_ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5762%2C5793325}} He was among the officials that witnessed the execution by lethal injection at the Idaho State Correctional Institution.
References
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{{succession box
| title=Chief Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court
| before=Linda Copple Trout
| after=Daniel Eismann
| years=2004–2007
}}
{{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schroeder, Gerald F.}}
Category:Justices of the Idaho Supreme Court
Category:Harvard Law School alumni
Category:College of Idaho alumni