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Under the constitutional provision, on
October 21, 1863, Oscar L. Shafter, Lorenzo Sawyer, Silas W. Sanderson, John Curry and A. L. Rhodes were elected Supreme Court Justices. The new court organized January 2, 1864, and in accordance with law, the Judges drew lots to determine the tenure of their
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of
California offered him the appointment of City and County Attorney of San Francisco, which he declined. In June 1862, he was offered a vacant spot in the office of Judge of the Twelfth Judicial District, embracing the city and county of
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and entered upon the practice of law in
October of that year, his law library consisting of eleven volumes which he had brought across the plains. With the exception of a few months from February to August 1851 passed in
337:, New York, called the Black River Institute, where he became interested in the law. In 1837, having reached the age of seventeen, he went out on his own to pursue a course of study preparatory to commencing the
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426:, and copied into many of the western papers. They were highly appreciated and were used as a guide by many emigrants of the succeeding year. After working in the mines for a short time, he went to
478:, and drew a six-year term, during the last two years of which he was chief justice. During his term, he was noted for the thoroughness and elaborateness of his decisions and held in high regard.
439:, during which time his office was twice burned, he remained in Nevada City until the autumn of 1853, when he returned to San Francisco. In 1853 he was elected City Attorney as a nominee of the
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the eldest of six children. He worked on the farm during the summer and attended the district school in winter. At the age of fifteen he attended, for a short time, a high school at
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In 1855, Sawyer was a candidate for
Justice of the Supreme Court, and came within six votes of reaching the nomination. On March 6, 1861, he was admitted to the bar of the
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official terms, with the following result: Shafter drew for ten years, Rhodes for eight. Sawyer for six, Curry for four and
Sanderson for two.
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and opened a law office there. Ill health, however, compelled him to seek the climate of the mountains, and accordingly he moved to
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349:. To support himself during this period, he taught in the district schools, and afterward in academies and as a tutor in college.
420:) about the middle of July 1850 in "an unprecedentedly short trip." He wrote sketches of this trip, which were published in the
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Upon the reorganization of the State courts, under the amended constitution, Judge Sawyer was in 1863 elected a justice of the
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Contemporary
Biography of California's Representative Men: With Contributions from Distinguished Scholars and Scientists
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462:. Sawyer went to Virginia City in January 1862 to open the office and establish the business, and while there Governor
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Joining a company of men from
Wisconsin, he made his way across the country in seventy-two days, arriving in
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657:. Vol. 36, no. 142. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 8 September 1891. p. 1
631:. Vol. 70, no. 100. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 8 September 1891. p. 1
1072:. Vol. 82, no. 15. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 8 September 1891. p. 5
917:. Vol. 26, no. 3988. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 1 January 1864. p. 1
836:. Vol. 82, no. 16. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 9 September 1891. p. 2
784:. Vol. 5, no. 243. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 2 September 1854. p. 8
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443:. In September 1854, he was again nominated for City Attorney by the Whig and American Party, or
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758:. Vol. 5, no. 715. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 9 July 1853. p. 2
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on
January 10, 1870, and received his commission the same day. Sawyer was assigned by
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943:. No. 6. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 28 November 1885. p. 1
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393:. Soon afterward he entered into a law partnership with the Lieutenant-Governor
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U.S. state supreme court judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law
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In 1884, Sawyer handed down what became known as the "Sawyer
Decision" in
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Sawyer died on
September 7, 1891, in San Francisco and he was buried at
1181:. California Supreme Court Historical Society. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
711:. Library of Congress Historic Newspapers. December 19, 1867. p. 3
382:
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1046:. Library of Congress Historic Newspapers. January 11, 1870. p. 2
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History of the California Supreme Court: The Justices 1850-1900, vol 1
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993:. Library of Congress Historic Newspaper. December 9, 1869. p. 1
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near Columbus, graduating in 1846. He was admitted to the bar of the
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887:. Library of Congress, Chronicling America. June 22, 1895. p. 5
416:(until statehood on September 9, 1850, California was a part of the
389:, where he passed a year in the office of future California Senator
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598:. San Francisco, CA: Bender Moss Co. pp. 95–97. Archived from
512:, to a new seat authorized by 16 Stat. 44. He was confirmed by the
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Judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
528:). His service terminated on September 7, 1891, due to his death.
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858:. The California Supreme Court Historical Society. Archived from
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his verdict is frequently referred to as the "Sawyer Decision."
310:. He is best known for handing down the verdict in the case of
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Bench and Bar in California: History, Anecdotes, Reminiscences
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on June 16, 1891, to a new seat authorized by 26 Stat. 826 (
341:. The next eight years were devoted to preparation for the
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United States federal judges appointed by Ulysses S. Grant
693:. Vol. 1. Lewis Publishing Co. 1892. pp. 652–54.
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In November 1885, Sawyer served as an original trustee of
810:. Library of Congress Historic Newspapers. March 11, 1861
911:"State Government, Judicial Department, Supreme Court"
539:
Woodruff v. North Bloomfield Mining and Gravel Company
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United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
522:
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
308:
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
44:
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
1187:. California State Courts. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
570:
List of justices of the Supreme Court of California
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1236:United States Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit
510:United States Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit
313:Woodruff v. North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Company
304:United States Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit
99:United States Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit
361:, where he pursued his studies for a time at the
1360:Burials at Laurel Hill Cemetery (San Francisco)
987:"Washington. The Nomination for Circuit Judges"
1209:Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court
804:"Supreme Court of the United States, March 6"
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154:Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court
111:January 10, 1870 – September 7, 1891
8:
520:to additional and concurrent service on the
1355:Justices of the Supreme Court of California
1325:Judges of the United States circuit courts
1305:Superior court judges in the United States
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369:), and afterward continued his studies at
279:(May 23, 1820 – September 7, 1891) was an
56:June 16, 1891 – September 7, 1891
29:
18:
1147:Biographical Directory of Federal Judges
730:Shuck, Oscar Tully (1889). "Chapter 7".
345:, at first in New York and afterward in
1092:"North Bloomfield and Malakoff Diggins"
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736:. Occident Printing House. p.
1320:People of the California Gold Rush
1122:. A. L. Bancroft. pp. 127–131
752:"Whig State Convention— Third Day"
504:Sawyer was nominated by President
452:Supreme Court of the United States
381:in May 1846. He afterward went to
298:from 1868 to 1870. He served as a
14:
483:Leland Stanford Junior University
1256:Seat established by 26 Stat. 826
1158:Works by or about Lorenzo Sawyer
937:"Leland Stanford Jr. University"
294:in 1860 and served as the ninth
79:Seat established by 26 Stat. 826
1228:Seat established by 16 Stat. 44
367:Case Western Reserve University
257:Case Western Reserve University
134:Seat established by 16 Stat. 44
1094:. Sierra Nevada Virtual Museum
963:"Index to Politicians: Sawyer"
856:"Chief Justices of California"
778:"The Know-Nothing Nominations"
1:
357:In 1840, Sawyer emigrated to
325:Sawyer was born on a farm in
1340:Stanford University trustees
1335:People from Le Roy, New York
1300:Chief justices of California
1295:19th-century American judges
1167:Woodruff vs North Bloomfield
508:on December 8, 1869, to the
1185:Past & Present Justices
589:Johnson, J. Edward (1963).
476:Supreme Court of California
300:United States circuit judge
296:Chief Justice of California
292:Supreme Court of California
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496:(which no longer exists).
16:American judge (1820–1891)
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1020:. Federal Judicial Center
290:who was appointed to the
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690:The Bay of San Francisco
500:Federal judicial service
1152:Federal Judicial Center
1150:, a publication of the
1116:Phelps, Alonzo (1881).
1018:"Bio of Lorenzo Sawyer"
967:The Political Graveyard
363:Western Reserve College
1070:Sacramento Daily Union
1066:"Judge Lorenzo Sawyer"
915:Sacramento Daily Union
834:Sacramento Daily Union
756:Sacramento Daily Union
705:"Collegemates Reunion"
782:Daily Alta California
542:which abruptly ended
379:Supreme Court of Ohio
709:Daily Ohio Statesman
605:on December 27, 2016
514:United States Senate
494:Laurel Hill Cemetery
407:California Gold Rush
375:Ohio Central College
261:Ohio Central College
1315:California pioneers
881:"The Supreme Court"
808:The New York Herald
651:"Judge Sawyer Dead"
625:"Judge Sawyer Dead"
548:Northern California
487:Stanford University
1172:2007-09-27 at the
1044:Alexandria Gazette
885:San Francisco Call
687:"LORENZO SAWYER".
655:Los Angeles Herald
629:San Francisco Call
391:James A. McDougall
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1244:Succeeded by
1216:Succeeded by
1040:"News of the Day"
395:John Edwin Holmes
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235:September 7, 1891
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1350:California Whigs
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1254:Preceded by
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600:the original
591:
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565:In re Ah Yup
563:The case of
552:Gold Country
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339:study of law
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237:(1891-09-07)
218:May 23, 1820
184:Succeeded by
161:
141:Succeeded by
133:
117:Appointed by
106:
86:Succeeded by
78:
62:Appointed by
51:
1290:1891 deaths
1285:1820 births
1202:John Currey
432:Nevada City
321:Early years
306:and of the
177:John Currey
172:Preceded by
129:Preceded by
74:Preceded by
1279:Categories
1241:1870–1891
1213:1868–1870
1126:August 21,
1098:2008-09-01
1076:August 20,
1050:August 21,
997:August 21,
972:2022-10-21
947:August 15,
866:2008-01-14
840:August 20,
814:August 21,
788:August 21,
762:August 21,
715:August 21,
661:August 20,
635:August 20,
609:August 14,
576:References
526:Evarts Act
441:Whig Party
428:Sacramento
414:California
409:happened.
246:California
214:1820-05-23
469:San Mateo
403:Wisconsin
399:Jefferson
335:Watertown
253:Education
166:1868–1870
162:In office
107:In office
52:In office
1170:Archived
1024:July 17,
891:July 18,
558:See also
387:Illinois
371:Columbus
331:New York
281:American
265:read law
225:New York
1160:at the
1144:at the
1110:Sources
921:July 8,
383:Chicago
373:and at
302:of the
460:Nevada
353:Career
327:Le Roy
284:lawyer
248:, U.S.
227:, U.S.
221:Le Roy
1269:1891
603:(PDF)
596:(PDF)
485:(now
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