Richard J. Hughes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard J. Hughes
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Hughes in 1962
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| Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court | |
| In office December 18, 1973 – August 10, 1979 |
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| Appointed by | William T. Cahill |
| Preceded by | Pierre P. Garven |
| Succeeded by | Robert N. Wilentz |
| 45th Governor of New Jersey | |
| In office January 16, 1962 – January 20, 1970 |
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| Preceded by | Robert B. Meyner |
| Succeeded by | William T. Cahill |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Joseph Hughes
August 10, 1909 Florence Township, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | December 7, 1992 (aged 83) Boca Raton, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Miriam McGrory
(m. 1935; died 1950)Elizabeth Sullivan Murphy
(m. 1954; died 1983) |
| Children | 10 |
| Education | Saint Joseph's University (BA) Rutgers University, Newark (LLB) |
Richard Joseph Hughes (born August 10, 1909 – died December 7, 1992) was an important American lawyer, politician, and judge. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the 45th governor of New Jersey from 1962 to 1970. Later, he became the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1973 to 1979.
Richard Hughes is the only person in New Jersey's history to have been both a governor and the chief justice of its highest court. He was also the first Roman Catholic governor in New Jersey.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Hughes was born on August 10, 1909, in Florence Township, New Jersey. His family had Irish roots. His parents were Richard Paul and Veronica Hughes. His father was involved in Democratic politics. He worked as a state civil service commissioner and also led the Burlington County Democratic Party.
Hughes went to Cathedral High School in Trenton. He then studied at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia. He also attended the New Jersey Law School, which is now called Rutgers Law School.
Lawyer and State Judge
Hughes became a lawyer in 1932. He started his own law practice in Trenton. In 1937, he became active in Democratic politics in Mercer County. He also became the president of the New Jersey Young Democrats.
In 1938, Hughes ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He strongly supported President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He did not win the election, but he became known as a strong campaigner.
In 1939, Hughes started working as a federal prosecutor. This meant he worked for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey. In this job, he handled cases involving federal crimes. His work helped improve his reputation. He left this role in 1945 and went back to working as a private lawyer.
In 1948, Hughes was appointed as a judge. He served on the Court of Common Pleas. Later, he became a judge on the Superior Court. He was then promoted to the Superior Court, Appellate Division.
As a judge, Hughes led a committee that looked at how the state handled young people who committed crimes. The committee suggested changes, which led to reforms in New Jersey's juvenile courts. Hughes later left his judge position to earn more money for his large family by practicing law again.
Governor of New Jersey (1962–1970)
Hughes was not very well known when he decided to run for governor of New Jersey in 1961. He became the Democratic candidate after the first choice had a heart attack. Hughes turned out to be a very good campaigner. He won the election by a small number of votes against Republican James P. Mitchell.
One big issue during Hughes' time as governor was state taxes. New Jersey was one of the few states that did not have an income tax or a sales tax. Hughes supported creating a state income tax. However, this idea was not approved by the state legislature at first.
During his re-election campaign, a controversy came up. A university instructor said he would welcome a North Vietnamese victory in the Vietnam War. Hughes disagreed with these views. But he strongly supported the idea of academic freedom, which means professors should be free to express their ideas.
With support from workers' unions, Hughes was re-elected in 1965. In his second term, he continued to push for a state income tax. Even though his party had the most votes in the legislature, the income tax bill failed. Instead, a compromise was reached. The state passed a 3% sales tax, which Hughes signed into law in 1966.
Hughes also represented New Jersey at three Democratic National Conventions. These are big meetings where the Democratic Party chooses its candidate for president.
In 1964, Atlantic City hosted the Democratic National Convention. Many people believe this happened because President Lyndon B. Johnson and Governor Hughes were very good friends.
Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court (1973–1979)
After serving as governor, Hughes became the chief justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. He held this important position from 1973 to 1979. He was chosen for this role by the next governor, William T. Cahill.
During his time as chief justice, the court made a very important decision in the Karen Ann Quinlan case. This ruling said that a person has the right to refuse medical treatment. It also said that a guardian can make that choice for a patient who cannot make decisions for themselves.
Later Life
Hughes left the Supreme Court in 1979 because he reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. He then went back to working as a private lawyer. In his retirement, he worked for a New Jersey law firm. He divided his time between Lawrenceville, New Jersey and Boca Raton, Florida.
He passed away in 1992 from heart failure in Boca Raton. He was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Trenton, New Jersey.
Legacy
A building in Trenton, New Jersey, is named after him. It is called the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex. This building houses the offices of the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, the State Supreme Court, and other court offices. It was named in his honor in 1982.
Personal Life
Richard Hughes had a large family with five sons, two daughters, and three stepsons. He married Miriam McGrory in 1935, and they had four children. After she passed away in 1950, he married Elizabeth Sullivan Murphy in 1955, and they had three more children.
Several of his children have also become important in New Jersey law and politics. His stepson, W. Michael Murphy Jr., was a prosecutor. His son, Brian M. Hughes, is the former elected leader of Mercer County.
