Samuel Zoll
Encyclopedia
Samuel Edward Zoll was an American lawyer, judge and politician. He began his career as a high school teacher then became a lawyer, politician, then a judge. Later in life he was named to be Chief Justice of the District Courts in Massachusetts.
. His father was an immigrant from Lithuania, and his mother was a native of nearby Haverhill. Zoll was educated at Salem High School
and attained a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master of Arts
degree, both from Boston University
.
He attended the Suffolk University Law School
receiving a Juris Doctor Degree (JD) degree in 1962.
veteran who served in the Korean War
. Zoll worked as a high school teacher at Danvers High School from 1958 to 1962. While teaching, he served on the Salem City Council (from 1958 until 1966, being President of the Council from 1959 to 1960). After graduating in law, Zoll worked as a lawyer. He was a State Representative of Salem from 1965 to 1969.
Zoll successfully ran for office as the Mayor of Salem, serving a full term. He left the mayoral office before the end of the second term in 1973 when he accepted his first judicial appointment. In 1973, he was appointed by Governor Sargent to be Special Justice of the Ipswich
District Court.
In 1974, he was appointed again by Governor Sargent as Presiding Justice of the Salem District Court. Zoll became Chief Justice of the Massachusetts District Courts in 1976 when he was first appointed by Governor Michael S. Dukakis. Following the passage of the court reform bill in 1993, Chief Justice Zoll was then reappointed as Chief Justice of the District Court in 1998 He chaired the Commonwealth Joint Labor Management Committee which oversees police and fire unions negotiations with the government.
He retired on June 20, 2004 when he reached the age of 70, the mandatory retirement age for judges.
has recalled that, aged twelve, he was brought before Judge Zoll in Salem for shoplifting
. Zoll asked Brown if his siblings would like seeing him play basketball in jail, and required him to write a 1500 word essay on the topic as his punishment. Brown said, "That was the last time I ever stole, the last time I ever thought [about stealing]... The other day I was at Staples, and something was in my cart that I didn't pay for. I had to bring it back because ... I thought of Judge Zoll."
. He was 76 years of age.
Early life and education
Zoll was born in Peabody, MassachusettsPeabody, Massachusetts
Peabody is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population is about 53,000. Peabody is located in Boston's North Shore suburban area.- History :...
. His father was an immigrant from Lithuania, and his mother was a native of nearby Haverhill. Zoll was educated at Salem High School
Salem High School (Massachusetts)
Salem High School is a four-year public high school in Salem, Massachusetts. It has an enrollment of approximately 1,400 students and is accredited by the Massachusetts Department of Education and by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges....
and attained a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree, both from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
.
He attended the Suffolk University Law School
Suffolk University Law School
Suffolk University Law School, also known as Suffolk Law School or SULS, is one of the professional graduate schools of Suffolk University. Suffolk University Law School is a private, non-sectarian, law school located in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Suffolk University Law School was founded in...
receiving a Juris Doctor Degree (JD) degree in 1962.
Career
Zoll was a United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
veteran who served in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Zoll worked as a high school teacher at Danvers High School from 1958 to 1962. While teaching, he served on the Salem City Council (from 1958 until 1966, being President of the Council from 1959 to 1960). After graduating in law, Zoll worked as a lawyer. He was a State Representative of Salem from 1965 to 1969.
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
District Court.
In 1974, he was appointed again by Governor Sargent as Presiding Justice of the Salem District Court. Zoll became Chief Justice of the Massachusetts District Courts in 1976 when he was first appointed by Governor Michael S. Dukakis. Following the passage of the court reform bill in 1993, Chief Justice Zoll was then reappointed as Chief Justice of the District Court in 1998 He chaired the Commonwealth Joint Labor Management Committee which oversees police and fire unions negotiations with the government.
He retired on June 20, 2004 when he reached the age of 70, the mandatory retirement age for judges.
Honors and awards
- The media centre of Salem High School was named The Samuel E. Zoll Instructional Media Center.
- In 2009, Zoll was the keynote speaker for the 100th anniversary of the Congregation Sons of Israel.
- He was awarded honorary degrees from Suffolk University and Salem State CollegeSalem State CollegeSalem State University is a four-year public institution of higher learning located in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem State University, established in 1854 as Salem Normal School, is located approximately fifteen miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. Salem State enrolls over 10,000 undergraduate and...
- In 1991, he received the Brandeis University AwardBrandeis MedalThe Brandeis Medal is awarded to individuals whose lives reflect United States Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis' commitment to the ideals of individual liberty, concern for the disadvantaged and public service....
for Distinguished Public Service.
Family life
Zoll and his wife Marjorie lived in Salem. They had four children and five grandchildren.Scott Brown
U.S. Senator Scott BrownScott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
has recalled that, aged twelve, he was brought before Judge Zoll in Salem for shoplifting
Shoplifting
Shoplifting is theft of goods from a retail establishment. It is one of the most common property crimes dealt with by police and courts....
. Zoll asked Brown if his siblings would like seeing him play basketball in jail, and required him to write a 1500 word essay on the topic as his punishment. Brown said, "That was the last time I ever stole, the last time I ever thought [about stealing]... The other day I was at Staples, and something was in my cart that I didn't pay for. I had to bring it back because ... I thought of Judge Zoll."
Other rulings
Zoll once required a family to eat dinner together for 30 days and sent a parole officer to make sure they were doing it.Death
Zoll died on April 26, 2011 at his home in Salem after a year-long battle with gallbladder cancerGallbladder cancer
Gallbladder cancer is a relatively uncommon cancer. It has peculiar geographical distribution being common in central and South America, central and eastern Europe, Japan and northern India; it is also common in certain ethnic groups e.g. Native American Indians and Hispanics. If it is diagnosed...
. He was 76 years of age.