(born May 24, 1870, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died July 9, 1938, Port Chester) U.S. jurist. Born into a distinguished Jewish family, he was admitted to
(born May 24, 1870, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died July 9, 1938, Port Chester) U.S. jurist. Born into a distinguished Jewish family, he was admitted to the New York bar in 1891 and became a successful courtroom lawyer. Elected to the state Supreme Court as a reform candidate (1913), he was quickly promoted to the Court of Appeals. During his tenure many thought the quality of the appellate bench exceeded that of the U.S. Supreme Court. He influenced the trend in U.S. appellate judging toward greater involvement in public policy and consequent modernization of legal principles. He was both a creative common-law
judge and a notable legal essayist. App