Raymond E. Peters
{{Short description|American judge}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Raymond E. Peters
|image =
|office = Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
|appointer = Pat Brown
|term_start = March 26, 1959
|term_end = January 2, 1973
|predecessor = Jesse W. Carter
|successor = William P. Clark Jr.
|office1 = Presiding Justice of the California Court of Appeal, First District, Division One
|appointer1 = Culbert Olson
|term_start1 = 1939
|term_end1 = March 25, 1959
|predecessor1 = John F. Tyler
|successor1 = Absalom Francis Brown
|birth_date = {{birth date|1903|04|17}}
|birth_place = {{nowrap|Oakland, California, U.S.}}
|death_date ={{death date and age|1973|01|02|1903|04|17}}
|death_place ={{nowrap|Berkeley, California, U.S.}}
|spouse = Marion Estabrook
|alma_mater = University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (LLB)
}}
Raymond Elmer Peters{{cite book|title=California Blue Book|year=1961|work=California Secretary of State|page=153}} (April 17, 1903 – January 2, 1973) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California from March 26, 1959 to January 2, 1973.{{cite web|title=Past & Present Justices|url=http://www.courts.ca.gov/12523.htm|publisher=California Supreme Court|accessdate=May 13, 2017}}
Biography
Peters was born in Oakland on April 17, 1903, and educated in the public schools. After high school, he continued his education at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and graduated with a LL.B. degree.
In 1930, Peters became Chief Law Secretary of the California Supreme Court.{{cite book|last1=Oakley|first1=John Bilyeu|last2=Thompson|first2=Robert S.|title=Law Clerks and the Judicial Process: Perceptions of the Qualities and Functions of Law Clerks in American Courts|date=1980|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley, CA|isbn=0520040465|page=32|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DWjCPDPfv10C&q=Raymond+E.+Peters+california+supreme+court&pg=PA32|accessdate=May 13, 2017}} In 1939, Governor Culbert Olson appointed Peters the Presiding Justice of the then District Court of Appeal, First District, Division One, replacing John F. Tyler.{{cite news|title=Court Secretary is New Appellate Judge|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19390607.1.3&srpos=23&e=-------en--20--21--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=San Bernardino Sun|issue=45|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=7 June 1939|page=3}}{{cite news|title=Peters Presiding Judge|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=MT19390606.2.16&srpos=2&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=Madera Tribune|agency=UPI|issue=31|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=6 June 1939|page=1}} In December 1940, Peters was retained by the voters in the election.{{cite news|title=Record Vote Held Likely on President|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19401105.1.4&srpos=35&e=-------en--20--21--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=San Bernardino Sun|agency=Associated Press|issue=46|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=5 November 1940|page=4}}{{cite news|title=Johnson's Vote Makes Record in California, A Vote Opposing Judge Re-elections Is Surprising|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=HTES19401209.2.20&srpos=16&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar|agency=United Press|issue=20|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=9 December 1940|page=1}} In November 1948, he was president of the conference of California judges, and led a study a code conduct of judicial proceedings.{{cite news|title=Judges to Draw Up Proceedings Code|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19481107.1.15&srpos=34&e=-------en--20--21--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=San Bernardino Sun|issue=80|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=7 November 1948|volume = 1|page=15}} In February 1949, Chief Justice Phil S. Gibson appointed Peters to a two-year term on the State Judicial Council.{{cite news|title=Judicial Council Proposes Only Two Varieties of Courts|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19490203.1.4&srpos=22&e=-------en--20--21--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=San Bernardino Sun|agency=United Press|issue=135|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=3 February 1949|volume = 55|page=4}} His notable cases on the appellate bench include a September 1958 decision holding San Benito County's "right to work" ordinance is "unconstitutional and contrary to the state's public policy."{{cite news|title=County 'Right to Work' Law Ruled Illegal|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19580905.1.1&srpos=28&e=-------en--20--21--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=San Bernardino Sun|issue=5|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=5 September 1958|volume = 65|page=1}}
In 1959, by appointment of Governor Pat Brown, Peters became an associate justice of the California Supreme Court.{{cite journal|title=In Memoriam: Raymond E. Peters|journal=Supreme Court of California|date=March 1973|volume=8 Cal.3d|pages=655–660|url=http://www.cschs.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/CSCHS-Peters-Memorial.pdf}} At the same time, Governor Brown appointed Absalom Francis Brown as the new Presiding Justice of the appellate court's First District, Division One, and Mathew O. Tobriner to take Peter's seat as an associate justice on that court.{{cite news|title=Brown Names Bay City Man to Court of Appeal|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19590324.1.2&srpos=33&e=-------en--20--21--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=San Bernardino Sun|issue=65|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=24 March 1959|page=2}} A liberal lion on the court led by Roger J. Traynor,{{cite book|last1= Uelmen|first1=Gerald F.|last2=Braitman|first2=Jacqueline R.|title=Justice Stanley Mosk: A Life at the Center of California Politics and Justice|date=2012|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0786468416|page=137|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ztAzK7_RGggC&q=Raymond+E.+Peters+california+supreme+court&pg=PA137|accessdate=May 13, 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Kamayi|first1=Gary|title=Miscarriage of justice sends 2 innocent men to prison|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Miscarriage-of-justice-sends-2-innocent-men-to-5484853.php|accessdate=May 15, 2017|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=May 16, 2014}} Reviewing the death penalty convictions of Tom Mooney and Warren Billings: "Years later, state Supreme Court Justice Raymond Peters said that if no legal procedure existed to set aside Mooney's conviction, the court should have invented one." Peters' notable cases include In People v. Belous (1969),{{cite web|title=People v. Belous |url=http://scocal.stanford.edu/opinion/people-v-belous-22692}} (1969) 71 Cal.2d 954, 80 Cal.Rptr. 354, 458 P.2d 194 a landmark abortion decision that protected the constitutional right of a woman to control her own body. In December 1967, he wrote the majority opinion striking down the loyalty oath required in the state constitution of public employees.{{cite news|title=Loyalty Oath Invalid|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DS19671222.2.9&srpos=5&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=Desert Sun|agency=UPI|issue=120|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=22 December 1967|page=1}} In 1971, he authored an opinion prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex.{{cite web|title=Sail'er Inn, Inc. v. Kirby (1971) 5 Cal.3d 1, 95 Cal.Rptr. 329, 485 P.2d 529}}
On January 2, 1973, Peters died while in office. Governor Ronald Reagan appointed William P. Clark Jr. to fill the vacant seat.{{cite news|last1=Hanna|first1=Phil|title=What will Senate Do With Reagan Choice?|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DS19730112.2.27&srpos=10&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22raymond+e.+peters%22-------1|accessdate=September 22, 2017|work=Desert Sun|agency=Capitol News Service|publisher=California Digital Newspaper Collection|date=12 January 1973|page=A3}}
Personal life
Peters was married to Marion Estabrook and had one daughter, Janet E. (Peters) Garrison and one son Douglas who died at 16 years of age.{{cite news|title=Justice Raymond E. Peters Of the California High Court|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/04/archives/justice-raymond-e-peters-of-the-california-high-court.html|accessdate=May 13, 2017|work=New York Times|agency=UPI|date=January 4, 1973}}
Footnotes
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.cschs.org/history/california-supreme-court-justices/raymond-e-peters/ Raymond E. Peters]. California Supreme Court Historical Society.
- [https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3839/raymond-e-peters/ Court opinions authored by Raymond E. Peters]. Courtlistener.com.
- [http://www.courts.ca.gov/2344.htm List of Past and Present Justices]. California Court of Appeal, First District.
- [http://www.courts.ca.gov/12523.htm Past & Present Justices]. California State Courts.
See also
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{{succession box
|title=Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
|before=Jesse W. Carter
|after=William P. Clark Jr.
|years=1959–1973}}
{{succession box
|title=Presiding Justice of the California Court of Appeal, First District, Division One
|before=John F. Tyler
|after= Absalom Francis Brown
|years=1939–1959}}
{{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peters, Raymond E.}}
Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni
Category:UC Berkeley School of Law alumni
Category:American legal scholars
Category:20th-century California state court judges
Category:Lawyers from Berkeley, California
Category:Justices of the Supreme Court of California
Category:Judges of the California Courts of Appeal