280:. It has been called the strongest bill of rights of any state constitution at that point in time. A decade later, he chaired the equivalent committees of the Illinois and Chicago bar associations. He also served as chairman of the Lawyers' Association. After his death, the Illinois State Bar Association created the Elmer Gertz Lawyer Award in 2000 to recognize lawyers for their exceptional dedication to protecting civil liberties.
298:
The
Illinois State Bar Association established the Elmer Gertz Lawyer Award in 2000 to recognize lawyers who have shown a continued commitment to preserve and advance human rights. For many years the award was jointly presented with the Blind Service Association, where Elmer Gertz was a board
249:
The case went back to a six-day trial where Gertz once again prevailed and was awarded $ 100,000 in compensatory damages and $ 300,000 in punitive damages. The U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed the award and the U.S. Supreme Court declined further review.
713:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights); Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
570:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights); Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
527:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights); Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
503:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights); Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
481:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights); Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
468:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights); Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
455:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights); Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
806:
48:, a book published in France but banned in the United States because of its "candid sexuality" in describing the author's life in Paris. In addition to accounts of his cases and career, he also reviewed books and edited a collection of works by
165:
in the
Leopold-Loeb trial. He himself achieved national fame when he won parole for Nathan Leopold, the surviving half of the infamous thrill-killing duo, in 1958. He made a point of walking out of the prison gates with his client.
81:
on the defendants' part. When the case finally went to trial, the jury found in favor of Elmer Gertz and awarded him compensatory damages of $ 100,000 and punitive damages of $ 300,000. The award was upheld on appeal.
546:
Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 680 F.2d 527 (7th Cir. 1982); Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the
Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human
229:
and won a $ 500,000 judgment. On appeal, the case went all the way to the
Supreme Court, which was asked to settle the question of whether or not Gertz was a public figure, who would thus have to prove
652:, 680 F.2d 527 (7th Cir. 1982); Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
73:
in 1969 after it accused him of being part of a
Communist conspiracy to discredit local police departments. He prevailed, but only after a 14-year battle that saw the case go before the
222:, that he had a criminal record and was part of a Communist conspiracy to discredit local police departments in order to pave the way for Communist control by a national police force.
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to win (which he probably could not have). In 1974, the Court ruled in a 5–4 decision that he was not a public figure and that states were free to set their own standards for
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In 1969, he was elected to the
Illinois Constitutional Convention, where he chaired the committee on its Bill of Rights, working closely with the committee's legal counsel,
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265:
In the 1940s, he was active in the fair housing movement, serving on several public bodies devoted to the subject. He presciently warned against the creation of large
661:; Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
640:
Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the
Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
557:
Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the
Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
536:
Mark E. Wojcik, "The Elmer Gertz Award," Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 2, at 6 (Dec. 2013)(Newsletter of the
Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
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with the money he won and sent "wish you were here" postcards back to Welch and his organization every chance they got.
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In 1969, Elmer Gertz represented the family of a young man killed by a Chicago police officer. This drew the ire of the
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739:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
726:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
700:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
687:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
674:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
622:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
609:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
596:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
583:, Human Rights, vol. 40, no. 1, at 7 (Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association Section on Human Rights).
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2013 - Jody Raphael, Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center, DePaul University College of Law (Chicago)
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He is best remembered in the legal world, however, for a case in which he was not an advocate but a plaintiff:
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194:. It was overturned, and Ruby, who was terminally ill, served the remaining few years of his life in prison.
290:"Things do change for the better," he assured some students near the end of his life, "very, very slowly."
287:'s Medal in 1972 for his service on that country's behalf, and considered that his finest accomplishment.
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118:, where he made the acquaintance of other young men who would become famous in their own right: authors
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In the mid-1960s, Gertz emulated his legal inspiration, Clarence Darrow, when he argued against the
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In addition to his law practice, Elmer Gertz was an adjunct professor teaching Civil Rights Law at
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Visual materials from the Elmer Gertz papers, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
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He remained involved in education throughout his life, teaching a civil rights class at The
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138:. He received his J.D. degree in 1930 and went to work in the firm of the well-connected
22:(September 14, 1906 – April 27, 2000) was an American lawyer, writer, law professor, and
269:, advocating a more scattered approach instead. He also campaigned for the admission of
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when they were alleged by a private figure. Ironically, given his successes in fighting
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activist. During his lengthy legal career he won some high-profile cases, most notably
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A Jew of Lithuanian descent, Gertz was born to Morris and Grace Gertz in Chicago's
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He and Miller became good friends after he persuaded a court to lift the ban on
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neighborhood. He attended elementary school with future Supreme Court Justice
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Charter for a New Age: Inside the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention
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member. The award has been given to the following persons or entities:
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A few years later, Gertz and his wife went on a round-the-world, luxury
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We Must not be Afraid to be Free: Stories of Free Expression in America
27:
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2006 - Prof. Michael P. Seng, The John Marshall Law School (Chicago)
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2007 - R. Eugene Pincham, Retired Justice, Illinois Appellate Court
309:
2003 - Prof. Victor J. Stone, University of Illinois College of Law
77:, which ruled that as a private figure Gertz did not have to prove
306:
2002 - Prof. Ralph Ruebner, The John Marshall Law School (Chicago)
409:
Odyssey of a Barbarian: The Biography of George Sylvester Viereck
376:
For the First Hours of Tomorrow: The New Illinois Bill of Rights
388:
Frank Harris and Henry Miller: Two Lives Intertwined With Mine
218:, which alleged in an article about the case in its magazine,
324:
2008 - Prof. Doug Cassel, Notre Dame University School of Law
807:
Elmer Gertz papers, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division
382:
Gertz v. Robert Welch: The Story of the Landmark Libel Case
750:"IllinoisLawyerFinder | Illinois State Bar Association"
336:
2012 - Judge Martha A. Mills, Cook County Circuit Court
829:
Letter by Gertz urging preservation of Maxwell Street.
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in Chicago, where he taught classes in civil rights.
404:
Reflections on Henry Miller's Centennial Celebration
817:Plain Speaking: Elmer Gertz Remembers Harry Truman
631:Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418 U.S. 323 (1974).
513:Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418 U.S. 323 (1974).
415:Quest for a Constitution: A Man Who Wouldn't Quit
173:, a decision the Supreme Court upheld in 1964's
923:Members of Illinois constitutional conventions
142:. He would remain there for another 14 years.
157:As a law student, Gertz had been inspired by
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873:American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent
358:Carl Sandburg: Is He the Poet of The People?
398:Moment of Madness: The People vs. Jack Ruby
432:Ronald K.L. Collins & Sam Chaltain,
444:
421:To Life: The Story of A Chicago Lawyer
210:Libel suit against John Birch Society
7:
883:Jewish American non-fiction writers
772:Elmer Gertz: A Chicago Legal Legend
913:20th-century American male writers
14:
868:American male non-fiction writers
770:Adiya, Sarbani; February 2001.
161:'s famous argument against the
283:Elmer Gertz received Israel's
273:to the local bar association.
176:Grove Press, Inc., v. Gerstein
130:. Afterwards, he attended the
69:action he brought against the
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908:20th-century American lawyers
898:American civil rights lawyers
261:Political and social activism
903:University of Chicago alumni
204:The John Marshall Law School
312:2004 - Fay Clayton, Chicago
116:Crane Technical High School
62:Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc.
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918:20th-century American Jews
835:A further fragment of the
781:Tilt, Max; date unknown,
370:The Diary of a Public Man
303:2001 - Gregory A. Adamski
149:until his death in 2000.
52:, whom he represented as
436:(Oxford U. Press, 2011)
294:Elmer Gertz Lawyer Award
225:He sued the Society for
147:John Marshall Law School
833:Henry Miller Remembered
863:American legal writers
333:2011 - Award not given
330:2010 - Award not given
327:2009 - Award not given
315:2005 - Award not given
126:and newspaper magnate
650:Gertz v. Robert Welch
353:The Best is Yet To Be
342:2014 - Barbara Blaine
132:University of Chicago
30:for notorious killer
888:Lawyers from Chicago
878:Writers from Chicago
490:418 U.S. 323 (1974).
393:A Handful of Clients
788:2006-02-14 at the
216:John Birch Society
114:He graduated from
71:John Birch Society
737:Elmer Gertz Award
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783:Elmer Gertz
140:Jacob Arvey
120:Meyer Levin
20:Elmer Gertz
847:Categories
839:interview.
794:Legal Tilt
759:2019-07-24
440:References
240:censorship
227:defamation
128:Leo Lerner
124:Leo Rosten
100:orphanages
86:Early life
188:Jack Ruby
110:Education
104:Cleveland
42:'s novel
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547:Rights).
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246:rights.
198:Educator
34:and the
423:, 1990
417:, 1984
411:, 1979
400:, 1968
384:, 1992
378:, 1972
372:, 1945
366:, 1980
255:cruise
28:parole
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360:1946
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