William S. Richardson
Encyclopedia
William Shaw Richardson was an American attorney
, political figure, and chief justice
of the Hawaii State Supreme Court
from 1966 to 1982. Prior to his service as the top jurist in Hawaii, Richardson was lieutenant governor
under John A. Burns
. Previous to that tenure from 1956 to 1962 he was chairman of the Hawaii Democratic Party
.
, Chinese
, and Caucasian
ancestry. He referred to himself as "just a local boy from Hawaii." He was a graduate of Roosevelt High School
, University of Hawaii at Mānoa
, and University of Cincinnati College of Law
. Richardson served in World War II
with the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment
as a platoon leader
.
, and declared that the water belonged to neither of them, but to the state. The Richardson court recognized previously ignored claims of the indigenous Hawaiian people (Native Hawaiians).
was his crowning achievement, as he fought for its establishment for decades. Richardson, who is fondly referred to as "CJ" (for Chief Justice), was still involved with the development of the law school and regularly attended school functions up until his death in June 2010.
Attorney
Attorney may refer to:*Attorney at law, a lawyer in some countries*Attorney general, the principal legal adviser to a government*Attorney-in-fact, a person authorised to act on someone else's behalf in a legal or business matter by a power of attorney...
, political figure, and chief justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Hawaii State Supreme Court
Hawaii State Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Hawaii is the highest court of the State of Hawaii in the United States. Its decisions are binding on all other courts of the Hawaii State Judiciary. The principal purpose of the Supreme Court is to review the decisions of the trial courts in which appeals have been granted...
from 1966 to 1982. Prior to his service as the top jurist in Hawaii, Richardson was lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, concurrently the Secretary of State of Hawaii, is the assistant chief executive of that U.S. state and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 2 though 6. He or she is elected by popular suffrage of...
under John A. Burns
John A. Burns
John Anthony Burns served as the second Governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine, Montana, Burns was a resident of Hawaii from 1913....
. Previous to that tenure from 1956 to 1962 he was chairman of the Hawaii Democratic Party
Democratic Party of Hawaii
The Democratic Party of Hawaii is an arm of the Democratic Party of the United States based in Honolulu, Hawaii. The party is a centralized organization established to promote the party platform as drafted in convention biennially...
.
Early years
Richardson claimed Native HawaiianNative Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
, Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
, and Caucasian
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
ancestry. He referred to himself as "just a local boy from Hawaii." He was a graduate of Roosevelt High School
President Theodore Roosevelt High School
President Theodore Roosevelt High School is a public, co-educational college preparatory high school of the Hawaii State Department of Education and serves grades nine through twelve...
, University of Hawaii at Mānoa
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
, and University of Cincinnati College of Law
University of Cincinnati College of Law
The University of Cincinnati College of Law is the fourth oldest continually running law school in the United States and a founding member of the Association of American Law Schools. It was started in 1833 as the Cincinnati Law School...
. Richardson served in 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...
with the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment
1st Filipino Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment was a segregated United States Army infantry regiment made up of Filipinos and Filipino Americans from the continental United States and a few veterans of the Battle of the Philippines that saw combat during World War II. It was formed and activated at Camp San...
as a platoon leader
Platoon leader
A platoon leader or platoon commander is the officer in command of a platoon. This person is usually a junior officer — a second or first lieutenant, or an equivalent rank. The officer is usually assisted by a platoon sergeant...
.
Controversies
William S. Richardson's tenure as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Hawai'i was marked by landmark decisions that recognized the precedent of the state's unique cultural and legal history; specifically the public's interests in the environment, and the rights of the indigenous Hawai'ian people. Under Richardson, the court held that the public's interest in the natural environment may limit or prohibit commercial development of sensitive areas, particularly coastlines and beaches; that the public has right to access Hawai'i's beaches, and that land created by lava floes belonged to the state, not to nearby property owners. Richardson declared, "The western concept of exclusivity is not universally applicable in Hawai'i." When two sugar plantations each sought the right to a water source, Richardson cited precedent from the court of the Kingdom of Hawai'iKingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
, and declared that the water belonged to neither of them, but to the state. The Richardson court recognized previously ignored claims of the indigenous Hawaiian people (Native Hawaiians).
Legacy
Before his retirement from the bar, Richardson was memorialized with the naming of the state's only law school in his honor. The William S. Richardson School of LawWilliam S. Richardson School of Law
The William S. Richardson School of Law is a public, co-educational institution of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaii. Named after the beloved Hawaii State Supreme Court Chief Justice William S. Richardson, it is the only law school in the State of Hawaii...
was his crowning achievement, as he fought for its establishment for decades. Richardson, who is fondly referred to as "CJ" (for Chief Justice), was still involved with the development of the law school and regularly attended school functions up until his death in June 2010.