Robinson O. Everett
Encyclopedia
Robinson O. Everett was an American lawyer, judge and a professor of law at Duke University.
Everett was born in Durham, North Carolina
, to a family of lawyers: his grandfather and both of his parents being noted North Carolina attorneys. His father, Reuben Oscar Everett, was one of the first five law students at Duke and practiced law for 66 years until his death, in his law office, at age 92. His mother, Kathrine Everett, was one of the first women to graduate from the University of North Carolina School of Law
, where she ranked at the head of her class and was the first woman to argue and win a case before the North Carolina Supreme Court
. She practiced for 70 years, retiring at the age of 97. In 1954, the Everetts were the first family of lawyers sworn in together to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States
.
Robinson O. Everett graduated magna cum laude in 1947 from Harvard University, at age 19. At Harvard Law School
he was on the Harvard Law Review
, graduating magna cum laude in 1950. He received his Master of Laws
from Duke University School of Law
. He was admitted to the North Carolina
bar
and joined the Duke's law school faculty that same year at age twenty-two, and holds the record as the youngest faculty member in Duke's history. He earned a master of laws degree from Duke in 1959. In over fifty years of teaching at Duke (as well as at the University of North Carolina School of Law
and Wake Forest University
School of Law), Everett regularly taught courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, law and national defense and military law.
During the Korean War Everett joined the United States Air Force
, where he was assigned to the Judge Advocate General's Corps
. He was appointed by President Jimmy Carter
to the serve as a senior judge for the Court of Appeals for the Armed Services and as a Commissioner and then Chief Judge for the United States Court of Military Appeals (now the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces) from 1980 until 1990. He was the author of the textbook Military Justice in the Armed Forces of the United States, and of numerous articles on military law, criminal procedure, evidence and other legal topics. During 1961 to 1964 Everett served part-time as counsel to the Subcommittee on Constitutional Rights of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
, which led to the enactment of the Military Justice Act of 1968. He was the founder of the Center on Law, Ethics, and National Security at the Duke University School of Law
.
As an attorney, Everett practiced in the following areas of law: administrative law; civil and criminal appeals; commercial real property; commercial litigation; construction litigation; zoning and land use regulation. Everett was also actively involved in redistricting litigation. As both counsel and plaintiff, he twice successfully challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court congressional district
s drawn by the North Carolina General Assembly
which violated the constitutional principle of racial neutrality.
He was active in bar and professional associations, having served as president of the Durham County, North Carolina Bar Association; as a member of the North Carolina State Bar Council; as both a member and chair of the American Bar Association
's Standing Committee on Military Law; and as a member of the Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and Evidence. He was a life member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
and the American Law Institute
. He was a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation
and a director of the American Judicature Society
.
In 1993 he received the Charles S. Murphy Award for public service from the Duke Law Alumni Association. In 2000 he received the ABA's Morris I. Liebman Award. He was also the recipient of the Professionalism Award from the Chief Justice's Committee on Professionalism. He was the first recipient of the Judge Advocates Association’s life service award, which is incidentally named after him. He received the John J. Parker
Memorial Award from the North Carolina Bar Association in 2004.
Everett is survived by his wife, Lynn McGregor Everett, their three sons, Rob, Jr., Greg, and Luke, and two grandchildren. Everett stayed actively involved in teaching law at Duke and in private practice until his death. The family legal tradition will not abate anytime soon as two of his three sons and one of his daughters-in-law recently graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law
and work in private practice.
Everett was born in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, to a family of lawyers: his grandfather and both of his parents being noted North Carolina attorneys. His father, Reuben Oscar Everett, was one of the first five law students at Duke and practiced law for 66 years until his death, in his law office, at age 92. His mother, Kathrine Everett, was one of the first women to graduate from the University of North Carolina School of Law
University of North Carolina School of Law
The University of North Carolina School of Law is a professional school within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Established in 1845, Carolina Law is among the oldest law schools in the nation and is the oldest law school in North Carolina. It is consistently ranked in the top-tier...
, where she ranked at the head of her class and was the first woman to argue and win a case before the North Carolina Supreme Court
North Carolina Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of North Carolina is the state's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists of six associate justices and one chief justice, although the number of justices...
. She practiced for 70 years, retiring at the age of 97. In 1954, the Everetts were the first family of lawyers sworn in together to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme 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...
.
Robinson O. Everett graduated magna cum laude in 1947 from Harvard University, at age 19. At Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
he was on the Harvard Law Review
Harvard Law Review
The Harvard Law Review is a journal of legal scholarship published by an independent student group at Harvard Law School.-Overview:According to the 2008 Journal Citation Reports, the Review is the most cited law review and has the second-highest impact factor in the category "law" after the...
, graduating magna cum laude in 1950. He received his Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
from Duke University School of Law
Duke University School of Law
The Duke University School of Law is the law school and a constituent academic unit of Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States. One of Duke's 10 schools and colleges, the School of Law began as the Trinity College School of Law in 1868. In 1924, following the renaming of Trinity...
. He was admitted to the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
and joined the Duke's law school faculty that same year at age twenty-two, and holds the record as the youngest faculty member in Duke's history. He earned a master of laws degree from Duke in 1959. In over fifty years of teaching at Duke (as well as at the University of North Carolina School of Law
University of North Carolina School of Law
The University of North Carolina School of Law is a professional school within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Established in 1845, Carolina Law is among the oldest law schools in the nation and is the oldest law school in North Carolina. It is consistently ranked in the top-tier...
and Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
School of Law), Everett regularly taught courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, law and national defense and military law.
During the Korean War Everett joined the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, where he was assigned to the Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, refers to the legal branch or specialty of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called Judge Advocates. The Marine Corps and Coast Guard do not maintain separate JAG Corps...
. He was appointed by President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
to the serve as a senior judge for the Court of Appeals for the Armed Services and as a Commissioner and then Chief Judge for the United States Court of Military Appeals (now the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces) from 1980 until 1990. He was the author of the textbook Military Justice in the Armed Forces of the United States, and of numerous articles on military law, criminal procedure, evidence and other legal topics. During 1961 to 1964 Everett served part-time as counsel to the Subcommittee on Constitutional Rights of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary is a standing committee of the United States Senate, of the United States Congress. The Judiciary Committee, with 18 members, is charged with conducting hearings prior to the Senate votes on confirmation of federal judges nominated by the...
, which led to the enactment of the Military Justice Act of 1968. He was the founder of the Center on Law, Ethics, and National Security at the Duke University School of Law
Duke University School of Law
The Duke University School of Law is the law school and a constituent academic unit of Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States. One of Duke's 10 schools and colleges, the School of Law began as the Trinity College School of Law in 1868. In 1924, following the renaming of Trinity...
.
As an attorney, Everett practiced in the following areas of law: administrative law; civil and criminal appeals; commercial real property; commercial litigation; construction litigation; zoning and land use regulation. Everett was also actively involved in redistricting litigation. As both counsel and plaintiff, he twice successfully challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court congressional district
Congressional district
A congressional district is “a geographical division of a state from which one member of the House of Representatives is elected.”Congressional Districts are made up of three main components, a representative, constituents, and the specific land area that both the representative and the...
s drawn by the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
which violated the constitutional principle of racial neutrality.
He was active in bar and professional associations, having served as president of the Durham County, North Carolina Bar Association; as a member of the North Carolina State Bar Council; as both a member and chair of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
's Standing Committee on Military Law; and as a member of the Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and Evidence. He was a life member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws is a non-profit, unincorporated association commonly referred to as the U.S. Uniform Law Commission. It consists of commissioners appointed by each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the United States...
and the American Law Institute
American Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
. He was a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation
American Bar Foundation
Established in 1952, the ' is an independent, nonprofit national research institute located in Chicago, Illinois committed to objective empirical research on law and legal institutions...
and a director of the American Judicature Society
American Judicature Society
The American Judicature Society is an independent, nonpartisan, national organization of judges, lawyers, and interested members of the public whose mission is to improve the American justice system - to "secure and promote an independent and qualified judiciary and fair system of justice." ...
.
In 1993 he received the Charles S. Murphy Award for public service from the Duke Law Alumni Association. In 2000 he received the ABA's Morris I. Liebman Award. He was also the recipient of the Professionalism Award from the Chief Justice's Committee on Professionalism. He was the first recipient of the Judge Advocates Association’s life service award, which is incidentally named after him. He received the John J. Parker
John J. Parker
John Johnston Parker was a U.S. judge who failed confirmation to the Supreme Court by one vote. He was also the U.S. alternate judge at the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi war criminals and later served on the United Nations' International Law Commission.John J. Parker was born in Monroe, North Carolina,...
Memorial Award from the North Carolina Bar Association in 2004.
Everett is survived by his wife, Lynn McGregor Everett, their three sons, Rob, Jr., Greg, and Luke, and two grandchildren. Everett stayed actively involved in teaching law at Duke and in private practice until his death. The family legal tradition will not abate anytime soon as two of his three sons and one of his daughters-in-law recently graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law
University of North Carolina School of Law
The University of North Carolina School of Law is a professional school within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Established in 1845, Carolina Law is among the oldest law schools in the nation and is the oldest law school in North Carolina. It is consistently ranked in the top-tier...
and work in private practice.