Francis Patrick O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Francis Patrick O'Connor (December 12, 1927 - August 3, 2007) was an associate judge of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
.
O'Connor was known for his detailed decisions, sometimes opposing the majority on the court, which led to the nickname the "Great Dissenter". Born in Boston on Dec. 12, 1927, son of the late Thomas Lane and Florence Mary (Hagerty) O’Connor, he was raised in Belmont and lived briefly in Medford and Grafton before settling in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts in 1962.
He attended Belmont
public schools and graduated from Boston College High School
in 1945. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross
in 1950, after serving two years in the U.S. Army in the occupation of Korea following World War II
. In 1953, he graduated from Boston College Law School
and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, and later to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Court of Appeals.
He served as law clerk to the Honorable Raymond S. Wilkins, Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
(SJC), from 1953 to 1954. From 1954 to 1976, Justice O’Connor practiced law at Friedman, Atherton, Sisson & Kozol in Boston, and Mason, Crotty, Dunn & O’Connor and Wolfson, Moynihan, Dodson & O’Connor in Worcester
. Prior to his tenure on the bench, he served as a member of the SJC Advisory Committee on the Rules of Civil Procedure and the SJC’s Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee.
In 1976, on the recommendation of his peers at the Bar, Gov. Michael S. Dukakis appointed Justice O’Connor to the Massachusetts Superior Court
, where he served with distinction for 5 years. In 1981, Gov. Edward J. King
appointed him to the Supreme Judicial Court, where he served for 18 years and earned a reputation for his thoughtful and precise opinions. He was the first Supreme Judicial Court Law Clerk to return to the state's highest court as an Associate Justice and the first graduate of Boston College Law School to serve on the Supreme Judicial Court. Justice O'Connor was widely recognized in the legal community for the respectful tone he set in the courtroom, his honesty, his integrity, and the courtesy he extended to all parties and counsel who appeared before him. He was recognized for his work on the SJC Substance Abuse Project Task Force, service as chairman from 1992–1995 and honorary chairman thereafter. He received St. Thomas More Awards from the St. Thomas More Society of Worcester and from the BC Law School Alumni Association and honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from the New England School of Law and Suffolk University School of Law. He served on the court from 1981 until he retired in 1997. He died of Alzhimer's disease in 2007.
After serving in the United States Army
, he attended College of the Holy Cross
and Boston College Law School
. He and his wife Ann E. (O’Brien) had 10 children and 31 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:...
.
O'Connor was known for his detailed decisions, sometimes opposing the majority on the court, which led to the nickname the "Great Dissenter". Born in Boston on Dec. 12, 1927, son of the late Thomas Lane and Florence Mary (Hagerty) O’Connor, he was raised in Belmont and lived briefly in Medford and Grafton before settling in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts in 1962.
He attended Belmont
Belmont, Massachusetts
Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census.- History :Belmont was founded on March 18, 1859 by former citizens of, and land from the bordering towns of Watertown, to the south; Waltham, to the west; and Arlington, then...
public schools and graduated from Boston College High School
Boston College High School
Founded in 1863, Boston College High School is an all-male Jesuit Roman Catholic college preparatory secondary school with historical ties to Boston College. It has an enrollment in grades 7-12 of approximately 1,500 students and is located on a campus on Morrissey Boulevard in the Dorchester...
in 1945. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
in 1950, after serving two years in the U.S. Army in the occupation of Korea following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1953, he graduated from Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School is one of the six professional graduate schools at Boston College. Located approximately 1.5 miles from the main Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, Boston College Law School is situated on a wooded campus in Newton, Massachusetts.With approximately 800 students and...
and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, and later to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Court of Appeals.
He served as law clerk to the Honorable Raymond S. Wilkins, Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:...
(SJC), from 1953 to 1954. From 1954 to 1976, Justice O’Connor practiced law at Friedman, Atherton, Sisson & Kozol in Boston, and Mason, Crotty, Dunn & O’Connor and Wolfson, Moynihan, Dodson & O’Connor in Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. Prior to his tenure on the bench, he served as a member of the SJC Advisory Committee on the Rules of Civil Procedure and the SJC’s Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee.
In 1976, on the recommendation of his peers at the Bar, Gov. Michael S. Dukakis appointed Justice O’Connor to the Massachusetts Superior Court
Massachusetts Superior Court
The Massachusetts Superior Court has original jurisdiction in civil actions over $25,000, and in matters where equitable relief is sought. It also has original jurisdiction in actions involving labor disputes where injunctive relief is sought, and has exclusive authority to convene medical...
, where he served with distinction for 5 years. In 1981, Gov. Edward J. King
Edward J. King
Edward Joseph "Ed" King was the 66th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1979 to 1983.Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Boston College and Bentley College, King played professional football as a guard with the All-America Football Conference Buffalo Bisons from 1948 to...
appointed him to the Supreme Judicial Court, where he served for 18 years and earned a reputation for his thoughtful and precise opinions. He was the first Supreme Judicial Court Law Clerk to return to the state's highest court as an Associate Justice and the first graduate of Boston College Law School to serve on the Supreme Judicial Court. Justice O'Connor was widely recognized in the legal community for the respectful tone he set in the courtroom, his honesty, his integrity, and the courtesy he extended to all parties and counsel who appeared before him. He was recognized for his work on the SJC Substance Abuse Project Task Force, service as chairman from 1992–1995 and honorary chairman thereafter. He received St. Thomas More Awards from the St. Thomas More Society of Worcester and from the BC Law School Alumni Association and honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from the New England School of Law and Suffolk University School of Law. He served on the court from 1981 until he retired in 1997. He died of Alzhimer's disease in 2007.
After serving in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, he attended College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
and Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School is one of the six professional graduate schools at Boston College. Located approximately 1.5 miles from the main Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, Boston College Law School is situated on a wooded campus in Newton, Massachusetts.With approximately 800 students and...
. He and his wife Ann E. (O’Brien) had 10 children and 31 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.