Judge Rutherford, a member of the New York City Bar

by VM44 8 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  VM44

  
  Hon. J. F. Rutherford
  
  NEW YORK CITY BAR Judge Rutherford liked to advertise that he was a member of the "New York City Bar" but it turns out that he probably was never licensed to practice law in New York!

  There are no records that Rutherford ever practice law as an attorney in any court of law in the state of New York!,

  For instance, here are some examples.

  Charles Russell used a Mr. Sparks as his lawyer in the Miracle Wheat case while Rutherford only "assisted".

  This same Mr Sparks was also used by Rutherford as his defence lawyer in their Sedition trial of 1918.

  In later years, Mr Moyle and Mr Covington, were used by the Watchtower in many court cases."

  So what is this "New York City Bar" to which Rutherford was fond of advertising that he was a member?

  It was a voluntary association of lawyers! Membership only required that a person had been admitted to practice law in any state, and that a person pay his yearly dues! It was not responsible for attorny liceses or registration!

  Rutherford qualified for membership in the association because he had passed the bar in Missouri.

  But that didn't matter to Rutherford, he wanted people to think that he was a well known, prominent New York City lawyer, but in reality, he was only a dues paying member of an legal association!

  Another example of Rutherford bluffing his way!

  --VM44
• 

  Merry Magdalene

  From http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/77035/1.ashx

  The April 15, 1912 Z.W.T. reports on the New York Hippodrome Mass Meeting in which "The Hon. J.F. Rutherford of the New York Bar served as chairman."

  So, according to this, Rutherford is now a New York lawyer. Does anyone know how a lawyer from Missouri can become a New York lawyer? Did he have to pass some kind of examination in New York? If he did, there must be some kind of record somewhere.

  The May 15, 1912 Z.W.Tower shows him as scheduled to be chairman at the June 1-9 Pertle Springs, Missouri Convention.

  In the Feb. 15, 1913 Z.W.T., in an article entitled "As Deceivers and Yet True" Rutherford and Sparks are said to have represented Russell in the Brooklyn Eagle suit. Russell lost. (Good discussion on Miracle Wheat).

  ~Merry
• 

  MissBehave

  Oh, I think Rutherford was a "member" in many New York City bars.
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  Joe Grundy

  I suspect that Rutherford's main interest in any New York City bar was whether it served good liquor!
• 

  looking_glass

  According to the 1975 Yearbook (p.81) - "While still in school, Joseph Rutherford became a court stenographer. This enabled him to finish paying for his course and also gave him practical experience. After completing his academy education, Rutherford spent two years under the tutelage of Judge E.L. Edwards. At twenty years of age, Joseph Rutherford became the official reporter for the courts of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit in Missouri. When twenty-two, he was admitted to the Missouri bar. His license to practice law in that state was granted on May 5, 1892, according to the records of the Cooper Circuit Court. Rutherford began practicing law at Boonville, Missouri, as a trial lawyer with the law firm of Draffen and Wright. J.F. Rutherford later served for four years as a public prosecutor in Boonville, Missouri."
  

  Being the "member of a bar" is not the same as licensed to practice. Depending on the state, you can practice law in one state for say 5 years and then ask to become licensed in another state. There are often forms to fill out and a fee, but then you become licensed in another state. It appears that he was practicing law at some point in Missouri, so he may have requested permission to practice in NY as well at some point. As for Rutherford's day, who knows what being a member of the NY bar entitled, it could have been merely paying a fee to the bar association.
• 

  Nosferatu

  What a fat bastard. Ugly mofo too.
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  Kenneson

  
  The Proclaimers book, page 654 notes (bottom of page):

  "...J.F. Rutherford remained a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court from his admission in May 1909 until his death in 1942. In 14 cases appealed to the Supreme Court from 1939 until 1942, J.F. Rutherford was one of the attorneys. In the cases known as Schneider v. State of New Jersey (in 1939) and Minersrsvile School District v. Gobitis (in 1940), he personally presented oral argument before the Supreme Court."
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  Nosferatu

  he personally presented oral argument before the Supreme Court."

  You mean he threw up after drinking too much?
• 

  garybuss

  Faith On The March
  A.H. Macmillan
  Copyright 1957
  
  
  CLEARED OF AN ILLEGAL JUDGMENT
  
  However, this effort at commutation of our sentences failed because March 21, 1919, the Circuit Court ordered that all of us be admitted to bail in the sum of $10,000 each. Then, on May 14 following, the court reversed the decision of the lower court and the case was remanded for retrial. Judge Ward, writing the opinion, said: 2 "The defendants in this case did not have the temperate and impartial trial to which they were entitled and for that reason the judgment was reversed."
  The Court of Appeals in its decision held that it was for the jury to decide whether or not the defendants were guilty. But the Government didn't want to risk losing the case on another jury trial. The prosecutor was afraid that it would be lost, since the war hysteria that had helped the Government to convict us in 1918 no longer existed by the time the case had been reversed in 1919. The war had ended, and prejudice was then not so rampant. The Government was afraid that if an unbiased jury heard the case again it would be lost. It was this fear of losing the case that forced the Government to dismiss the indictments by motion to Nolle prosequi.
  Occasionally since that time some of Judge Rutherford's enemies have referred to him as an "ex-convict." Nothing could be further from the truth, and, in view of all the well-known evidence to the contrary, this is an obvious attempt to
  
  page 109
  
  prejudice persons who may not be in a position to know the facts.
  If the conviction against him had not been reversed, Judge Rutherford would have been disbarred as a lawyer. An exconvict can't be a lawyer. A lawyer who is an ex-convict must be disbarred. Yet Rutherford never lost his license.
  After his erroneous conviction in 1918 Rutherford repeatedly appeared before the Supreme Court of the United States as counsel and remained a member of the bar of that court from his admission in May, 1909, until his death in 1942. Since the conviction was reversed and the stigma erased, it is wrong to say that Rutherford was an ex-convict. The facts are that he was wrongly imprisoned under an illegal judgment.
  We were a happy bunch in Atlanta when a telegram came to Rutherford saying that bail had been granted. Our friends came down on Saturday so that we could leave Monday morning for New York, where arrangements for bail were completed. That weekend, of course, was a very exciting one to all of us. The guards in the prison were very kind, the Deputy warden in particular, and congratulated us on getting away.
  We came to the Federal Court Building in Brooklyn, where bail was granted. It seemed very strange to walk out and go just where we wanted to without having guards shouting at us or asking us where we were going or requiring a pass.
  http://www.e-cepher.com/books/fotm/8faith.html#108