Richard Neely facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Neely
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| Born | August 2, 1941 |
| Died | November 8, 2020 (aged 79) |
| Education | A.B. Economics, Dartmouth College, 1964; LL.B. Yale Law School, 1967 |
| Occupation | Lawyer, author, professor, West Virginia Supreme Court justice |
| Employer | Neely & Callaghan |
| Known for | Analysis of the how courts work within the larger political, economic and social system. Pioneer work in domestic law that took into account relative bargaining positions of the parties and the disparities in capacities to litigate. |
| Term | 22 years |
| Predecessor | Oliver D. Kessel |
| Successor | Arthur M. Recht |
| Board member of | Advisory Board, Bureau of National Affairs (BNA) Class Action Litigation Report, 2000–2020 |
| Spouse(s) | Carolyn Elmore Neely |
| Children | John Champ Neely, II, M.D.; Charles Whittaker Neely, Esq. |
| Parent(s) | John Champ Neely and Elinore Forlani Neely |
Richard Forlani Neely (born August 2, 1941 – died November 8, 2020) was a very important judge in West Virginia. He served on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals from 1973 to 1995. When he first became a judge, he was the youngest person to serve on a top court in any English-speaking country during the 20th century.
Early Life and Learning
Richard Neely was born in Los Angeles, California. He went to Dartmouth College and studied economics, graduating in 1964. Later, he earned his law degree from Yale Law School in 1967.
From 1968 to 1969, Neely served as an army captain during the Vietnam War. He helped with economic development in a large part of South Vietnam. He also helped write a plan for peace in 1969. For his service, he received the Bronze Star, a special award for bravery. His grandfather, Matthew M. Neely, was also a famous politician who served as Governor of West Virginia and a U.S. Senator.
Richard Neely's Law Career
After his time in the army, Richard Neely started his own law office in West Virginia. In 1970, he was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates, which is like being a state lawmaker. Soon after, he was elected to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals as a Democrat.
As a Supreme Court judge, Neely worked to make big changes. He helped improve the state's mental hospitals. He also got rid of the old, harsh state reform school system for young people. Thanks to him, these schools started using better ways to help kids.
Neely was also known for his important work in family law. He wrote decisions and books that helped create new rules for child custody cases. From 1980 until he retired in 1995, he was one of the most well-known judges in the United States. He often wrote articles for national magazines like The Atlantic Monthly and The Wall Street Journal.
His writings often looked at how courts work within society. For example, in an article called "The Politics of Crime," he explained that criminal courts can be hard to manage. This is partly because different groups, like insurance companies, try to influence how courts operate.
Neely's most famous book, How Courts Govern America, talked about how judges make decisions. He explained the limits of a judge's power and how they should be careful not to do too much. This book is still important today.
Richard Neely also loved teaching. He was one of the first American professors to teach law in China in 1984. He also taught at Harvard and was an economics professor at the University of Charleston for over ten years.
On April 15, 1995, Neely retired from the West Virginia Supreme Court. He then started his own law firm, Neely & Hunter (now Neely & Callaghan), in Charleston, West Virginia.
Richard Neely passed away on November 8, 2020, in Charleston. He was 79 years old.
See also
- List of justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
