Richard M. Givan
Encyclopedia
Richard M. Givan served as the 96th Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court from January 6, 1969 until his retirement December 31, 1994. He served as Chief Justice from 1974 until March 1987.
. He graduated from Decatur Central High School
in Indianapolis in 1939. He received an LL.B. from Indiana University
in 1951, and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1952.
While he was a law student, he was assistant librarian for the Indiana Supreme Court in 1949, and then became a research assistant for the Indiana Supreme Court. He was appointed deputy public defender
of Indiana after graduation from law school and served in that post until 1954.
s. In 1967, he was a representative and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee in the Indiana Legislature. He was elected to the Indiana Supreme Court in 1968 and served continuously until his retirement in December 1994. He was also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Indiana Judicial Conference from 1974 to 1987, served on the Board of Managers of the Indiana Judges Association from 1975 to 1987, and became an Indiana Judicial College Graduate in 1989.
In addition to his legal career, Givan served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps
during World War II and was later a flight instructor with the Air Corps Reservists.
. On July 23, 2009, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels
ordered all flags at the Statehouse and across the state be flown at half-mast as a tribute to Chief Justice Givan. The flags were to remain at half-mast through July 28, 2009, the date of Givan's funeral.
Early life
Givan was born June 7, 1921 in IndianapolisIndianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. He graduated from Decatur Central High School
Decatur Central High School
Decatur Central High School is a public high school in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township. The mascot of Decatur Central is the Hawk; the school colors are navy and gold. DCHS currently enrolls students from grades nine through...
in Indianapolis in 1939. He received an LL.B. from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 1951, and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1952.
While he was a law student, he was assistant librarian for the Indiana Supreme Court in 1949, and then became a research assistant for the Indiana Supreme Court. He was appointed deputy public defender
Public defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
of Indiana after graduation from law school and served in that post until 1954.
Career
From 1954 to 1966, he was Assistant Attorney General of Indiana, pleading cases before both the Indiana and Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
s. In 1967, he was a representative and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee in the Indiana Legislature. He was elected to the Indiana Supreme Court in 1968 and served continuously until his retirement in December 1994. He was also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Indiana Judicial Conference from 1974 to 1987, served on the Board of Managers of the Indiana Judges Association from 1975 to 1987, and became an Indiana Judicial College Graduate in 1989.
In addition to his legal career, Givan served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
during World War II and was later a flight instructor with the Air Corps Reservists.
Controversy
In 1984, a group known as "Remember Baby Doe - Retire Judge Givan Committee" sought to ouster Givan from his position as Chief Justice after the Indiana Supreme Court refused to hear a case regarding the death of an infant with Down's Syndrome. The group placed several advertisements in Indiana newspapers and asked voters to oppose Givan in the November 6 election. Givan denied claims that the decision established "quality of life" as a judicial criterion. Givan explained that the Supreme Court was only asked to determine if the original court had jurisdiction over the matter.Death
Richard Givan died on July 21, 2009, in Plainfield, IndianaPlainfield, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,396 people, 7,051 households, and 4,914 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,023.1 people per square mile . There were 7,449 housing units at an average density of 414.3 per square mile...
. On July 23, 2009, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels
Mitch Daniels
Mitchell Elias "Mitch" Daniels, Jr. is the 49th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. A Republican, he began his first four-year term as governor on January 10, 2005, and was elected to his second term by an 18-point margin on November 4, 2008. Previously, he was the Director of the...
ordered all flags at the Statehouse and across the state be flown at half-mast as a tribute to Chief Justice Givan. The flags were to remain at half-mast through July 28, 2009, the date of Givan's funeral.