David D. Furman
Encyclopedia
David D. Furman was an American
lawyer and judge who served as New Jersey Attorney General
and New Jersey Superior Court
judge.
. He was raised in South Orange
, New Jersey
and attended Phillips Exeter Academy
, graduating in 1935. He received his A.B.
degree from Harvard College
in 1939. From 1939 to 1947, he worked as an electric furnace helper and metallurgist for the Duraloy Company and Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation in Pennsylvania
.
He attended New York University School of Law
, where he was editor-in-chief of the NYU Law Review
. After graduating in 1950, he served as a law clerk to Judge Nathan L. Jacobs and then as a clerk on the New Jersey Superior Court
, Appellate Division. From 1951 to 1954, he was an associate with the Newark
law firm Stryker, Tams & Horner.
In January 1954, Furman was named Assistant Counsel in the Governor’s Office. He was selected to head the Appellate Litigation section in the Division of Law in April 1955 and became chief of the Division in May 1956. In May 1958, Governor Robert B. Meyner
nominated him to be New Jersey Attorney General
. The New Jersey Senate
confirmed the nomination on June 2, 1958. He served until January 1962.
In 1962 Furman was appointed Superior Court judge, first assigned to Hudson County
and then to Middlesex County
. He served in the Law Division from 1962 to 1965, the Chancery Division from 1965 to 1980, and the Appellate Division from 1980 to 1988. He was presiding judge of the Appellate Division on his retirement.
After retiring from the bench, he served as counsel to the firm of Purcell, Ries, Shannon, Mulcahy & O'Neill in Bedminster. He was also an adjunct professor of law at Seton Hall School of Law, where he taught courses on zoning, planning, and land use law. His Casebook on Zoning, Planning & Land Use Law in New Jersey was first published in 1996 and remains in publication through Gann Law Books.
In 2008 he died at the age of 90 at his residence in Far Hills, New Jersey
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer and judge who served as New Jersey Attorney General
New Jersey Attorney General
The Attorney General of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state. The office is appointed by the Governor of New Jersey and term limited...
and New Jersey Superior Court
New Jersey Superior Court
The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with state-wide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The Superior Court has three divisions: the Appellate Division is essentially an intermediate appellate court while the Law and Chancery Divisions function as trial courts...
judge.
Biography
Furman was born in 1917 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was raised in South Orange
South Orange, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,964 people, 5,522 households, and 3,766 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,945.3 people per square mile . There were 5,671 housing units at an average density of 1,987.5 per square mile...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and attended Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
, graduating in 1935. He received his A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1939. From 1939 to 1947, he worked as an electric furnace helper and metallurgist for the Duraloy Company and Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
He attended New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
, where he was editor-in-chief of the NYU Law Review
NYU Law Review
The New York University Law Review is a law review edited and published by students at New York University School of Law.- Overview :The New York University Law Review was founded in 1924 as a collaborative effort between law students and members of the local bar...
. After graduating in 1950, he served as a law clerk to Judge Nathan L. Jacobs and then as a clerk on the New Jersey Superior Court
New Jersey Superior Court
The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with state-wide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The Superior Court has three divisions: the Appellate Division is essentially an intermediate appellate court while the Law and Chancery Divisions function as trial courts...
, Appellate Division. From 1951 to 1954, he was an associate with the Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
law firm Stryker, Tams & Horner.
In January 1954, Furman was named Assistant Counsel in the Governor’s Office. He was selected to head the Appellate Litigation section in the Division of Law in April 1955 and became chief of the Division in May 1956. In May 1958, Governor Robert B. Meyner
Robert B. Meyner
Robert Baumle Meyner of Phillipsburg, New Jersey was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 44th Governor of New Jersey, from 1954 to 1962...
nominated him to be New Jersey Attorney General
New Jersey Attorney General
The Attorney General of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state. The office is appointed by the Governor of New Jersey and term limited...
. The New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
confirmed the nomination on June 2, 1958. He served until January 1962.
In 1962 Furman was appointed Superior Court judge, first assigned to Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
and then to Middlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
. He served in the Law Division from 1962 to 1965, the Chancery Division from 1965 to 1980, and the Appellate Division from 1980 to 1988. He was presiding judge of the Appellate Division on his retirement.
After retiring from the bench, he served as counsel to the firm of Purcell, Ries, Shannon, Mulcahy & O'Neill in Bedminster. He was also an adjunct professor of law at Seton Hall School of Law, where he taught courses on zoning, planning, and land use law. His Casebook on Zoning, Planning & Land Use Law in New Jersey was first published in 1996 and remains in publication through Gann Law Books.
In 2008 he died at the age of 90 at his residence in Far Hills, New Jersey
Far Hills, New Jersey
Far Hills is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 919.Far Hills was incorporated as a borough based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on April 7, 1921, from portions of Bernards Township, subject to the results...
.