Robert Erwin facts for kids
Robert Cecil "Bob" Erwin (born December 29, 1934 – died January 24, 2020) was an American lawyer. He served as a judge on the Supreme Court of Alaska. This is the highest court in the state. He was a justice from August 3, 1970, to April 15, 1977.
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Early Life and Career
Bob Erwin was born in Seward, Alaska. He was the younger brother of William Matthews Erwin. His brother later became a state lawmaker for the Kenai Peninsula.
Becoming a Lawyer
In the 1960s, Bob Erwin worked as a state prosecutor for the Nome area. A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for the government. They bring legal cases against people accused of breaking laws. To become a lawyer in Alaska, he took the state bar examination in July 1960. This test allows lawyers to practice law in the state courts.
His Work as a Prosecutor
As a prosecutor, Erwin handled many different kinds of cases. Some were simple, like people not paying school taxes. Others were more unusual, such as cases involving hunting animals without a proper license.
Serving on the Supreme Court
Governor Keith Harvey Miller chose Bob Erwin to join the Supreme Court of Alaska. He was only the second judge from the Democratic Party to be appointed to this court.
An Alaskan-Born Judge
For many years, Erwin was the only judge on the Alaska Supreme Court who was born in Alaska. This changed in 2007 when Daniel Winfree was also appointed.
Why He Resigned
After serving for seven years, Erwin decided to leave the court. He felt that as a judge, it was hard to help people in the way he wanted. He then went back to working as a private lawyer in Anchorage. As a private attorney, he could speak out more freely on important public issues.
