James B. Whitfield
Encyclopedia
James Bryan Whitfield was a Florida lawyer, State Treasurer, Attorney General
, and long-time Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
Born on the family plantation in Wayne County, North Carolina, Whitfield's father Richard A. Whitfield moved the family to Leon County
, Florida around 1860 to start a cotton plantation. The family later moved to Tallahassee. Whitfield was educated at the West Florida Seminary
in Tallahassee and the University of Virginia (bachelor of law, 1886). After service as a county judge and the clerk of the Florida Supreme Court, Whitfield was appointed state treasurer in 1897, serving until 1903. Whitfield served as Florida's Attorney General 1903-4 before being appointed to the Florida Supreme Court, where he served until resigning in 1943. One of his most significant decisions was a 1908 opinion that prohibited excluding African-Americans from juries.
Whitfield also wrote a Political and Legal History of Florida, published in 1943.
There is a scholarship in Constitutional Law at the University of Florida named in his honor.
Whitfield's father, Richard A. Whitfield, was also an elected county judge in Leon County. Whitfield's grandson Randolph Whitfield, Jr
is an ophthalmologist known for his pioneering work tracking blindness in Africa. His granddaughter Clare Whitfield married astronaut Rusty Schweikart.
Florida Attorney General
The Florida Attorney General is an elected cabinet official in the U.S. state of Florida. The attorney general serves as the chief legal officer of the state....
, and long-time Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
Born on the family plantation in Wayne County, North Carolina, Whitfield's father Richard A. Whitfield moved the family to Leon County
Leon County, Florida
Leon County is a county located in the state of Florida, named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. At the 2010 Census, the population was 275,487. The county seat of Leon County is Tallahassee which also serves as the state capital. The county seat is home to two of Florida's major...
, Florida around 1860 to start a cotton plantation. The family later moved to Tallahassee. Whitfield was educated at the West Florida Seminary
History of Florida State University
The history of Florida State University dates to the 19th century and is deeply intertwined with the history of education in the state of Florida and in the city of Tallahassee....
in Tallahassee and the University of Virginia (bachelor of law, 1886). After service as a county judge and the clerk of the Florida Supreme Court, Whitfield was appointed state treasurer in 1897, serving until 1903. Whitfield served as Florida's Attorney General 1903-4 before being appointed to the Florida Supreme Court, where he served until resigning in 1943. One of his most significant decisions was a 1908 opinion that prohibited excluding African-Americans from juries.
Whitfield also wrote a Political and Legal History of Florida, published in 1943.
There is a scholarship in Constitutional Law at the University of Florida named in his honor.
Whitfield's father, Richard A. Whitfield, was also an elected county judge in Leon County. Whitfield's grandson Randolph Whitfield, Jr
Randolph Whitfield, Jr
Randolph Whitfield Jr. is an American ophthalmologist. He conducts pioneering surveys that trace the spread of blindness in deprived areas-Life:He received his medical and graduate degrees from University of Virginia in 1965 under a dual program....
is an ophthalmologist known for his pioneering work tracking blindness in Africa. His granddaughter Clare Whitfield married astronaut Rusty Schweikart.