Walter T. McCarthy
{{Short description|American judge}}
{{Use mdy dates |date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Walter T. McCarthy
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| office1 = Judge of the 35th Circuit Court of Virginia
| term_start1 = 1944
| term_end1 = 1972
| predecessor1 = Position established
| successor1 =
| office2 = Judge of 16th Circuit Court of Virginia
| term_start2 = 1930
| term_end2 = 1944
| predecessor2 = Howard W. Smith
| successor2 =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year|1898}}
| birth_place = Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1985|3|18|1898}}
| death_place = Stuart, Florida, U.S.
| death_cause =
| resting_place =
| party =
| spouse = Ruth Clark
| children = 5
| relatives =
| alma_mater = George Washington University
George Washington University Law School
| occupation = {{hlist|judge|lawyer}}
}}
Walter T. McCarthy (1898 – March 18, 1985) was an American lawyer and judge. He served as a circuit court judge from 1930 to 1972 in Arlington, Virginia.
Early life
Walter T. McCarthy was born in 1898, in Richmond, Virginia and moved to Arlington, Virginia at a young age. He did not finish high school. He graduated from George Washington University and then graduated from George Washington University Law School.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1985/03/20/walter-mccarthy-dies-at-87/60ec8f64-2d27-41ef-93ec-4a385c71157f/ |title=Walter McCarthy Dies at 87 |date=1985-03-20 |last=Barnes |first=Bart |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=2022-02-21}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95896641/new-virginia-judge-first-to-hold-post-at/ |title=New Virginia Judge First to Hold Post at Age of 32 |date=1930-04-20 |newspaper=Evening Star |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2022-02-21}}{{Open access}} He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.
Career
In 1930, McCarthy became the judge of Virginia's 16th Circuit Court, which then represented Arlington County, Fairfax County, Prince William County and the city of Alexandria. He succeeded Howard W. Smith. He was the youngest circuit court judge appointed in Virginia at the time. In 1944, McCarthy was elected to Virginia's 35th Circuit Court, representing Arlington County.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95892348/untitled-1944-03-01-the-daily-news-l/ |title=The General Assembly has elected... |date=1944-03-01 |newspaper=The Daily News Leader |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2022-02-21}}{{Open access}} In the 1950s, McCarthy ruled in a major decision that gave Arlington County Board the right to reject zoning applications in order to curb growth. He also ruled on other decisions that formed much of Arlington County's zoning laws. In 1958, McCarthy ruled that racial segregation at churches, movie theaters and other public places was unconstitutional.
McCarthy retired in 1972, but continued hearing cases until 1980.
Personal life
McCarthy married Ruth Clark of Washington, D.C. Together, they had five children: Steve, Wilson, Walter, Robert and Helen.
Death and legacy
McCarthy died on March 18, 1985, while on vacation in Stuart, Florida.
The Walter T. McCarthy Law Library in the Arlington Courthouse was named after him.{{Cite web |url=http://arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2001-8-Seventy-Five.pdf |title=Seventy-Five Years of Service |date=October 2001 |last=Dodge |first=George W. |publisher=Arlington Historical Society |access-date=2022-02-21}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts/McCarthy-Law-Library |title=Walter T. McCarthy Law Library |website=arlingtonva.us |access-date=2022-02-21}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McCarthy, Walter T.}}
Category:Date of birth missing
Category:Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia
Category:Lawyers from Arlington County, Virginia
Category:George Washington University alumni
Category:George Washington University Law School alumni