Fred C. Struckmeyer Jr.

American judge (1912–1992)

Fred C. Struckmeyer Jr.

Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court
In office January 1960 – December 1961
In office January 1966 – December 1966
In office January 1971 – December 1971
In office January 1980 – January 1, 1981
Preceded by	Marlin T. Phelps
Succeeded by	William A. Holohan
Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court
In office January 3, 1955 – January 4, 1982
Preceded by	Rawghlie Clement Stanford
Succeeded by	Stanley Feldman

Personal details
Born	January 4, 1912 Phoenix, Arizona
Died	June 22, 1992(1992-06-22) (aged 80)
Alma mater	University of Arizona

Frederick Christian Struckmeyer Jr.^[1] (January 4, 1912 – June 22, 1992) was a justice of the Supreme Court of Arizona from January 3, 1955, to January 19, 1982. He served as chief justice of the court on four occasions.^[2]

Biography

Struckmeyer was the eldest son of Justice Frederick Christian "F.C." Struckmeyer, Sr., who served one term on the Superior Court in Maricopa County from 1923 to 1925, then as code commissioner. Struckmeyer received a bachelor's degree and then a law degree in 1936 from University of Arizona. He went to work as a deputy Maricopa County attorney before serving in the United States Army during World War II where he was awarded the Silver Star Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart.^[3]

He became a Superior Court judge in 1950. Five years later he was elected to the Arizona Supreme Court, where he served for 26 years. At 43, he was the youngest person ever elected or appointed to the Supreme Court.^[4] After his mandatory retirement at the age of 70 he was appointed to the Arizona Racing Commission.^[3]^[5]

On February 9, 1953, Judge Struckmeyer decided the case Phillips vs. Phoenix Union High Schools and Junior College District, a case over Carver High School, the only legally segregated high school in the state. In the case, Struckmeyer ruled that the Arizona law permitting school boards to segregate pupils was unconstitutional, and the Phoenix Union High School District segregation of African-American students was illegal. "A half century of intolerance is enough," wrote Struckmeyer. The school board did not appeal. His decision was made a year before the Supreme Court of the United States decided Brown v. Board of Education.^[6] ^[7]

In 1988, he rejoined the high court for Green v. Osborne, a 4–1 decision that canceled a recall election for Evan Mecham because Mecham already had been impeached and removed as governor.^[3]^[8]

Judge Struckmeyer died in 1992 and was buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.

References

^ "Interview with Fred C. Struckmeyer, Jr" (PDF). Arizona Bar Foundation Oral History Project: Arizona Legal History. May 21, 1991.
^ "Frederick C. Struckmeyer". Arizona Legal Legacies Project. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c Ex-Justice Fred Struckmeyer Dies, The Arizona Republic, June 22, 1982, B2.
^ Frederick C. Struckmeyer legallegacy.org
^ "Fred C. Struckmeyer Jr. Chief Justice from 1/1960 to 12/1961, 1/1966 to 12/1966, 1/1971 to 12/1971, 1/1980 to 12/1981". Arizona Supreme Court. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
^ "Law Library – Phillips vs. Phoenix Union High Schools and Junior College District Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County, No. 72909".
^ "Phillips vs. PUHS". superiorcourt.maricopa.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
^ "Arizona's Supreme Court Blocks A Special Gubernatorial Election". The New York Times. 13 April 1988.