Arthur Walter Dolan (September 22, 1876 – September 28, 1949) was a justice of the

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) is the court of last resort, highest court in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Although the claim is disputed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the SJC claims the di ...

from 1937 to 1949. He was appointed by Governor

Charles F. Hurley Charles Francis Hurley (November 24, 1893 – March 24, 1946) was an American attorney and the 54th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and one of its first Irish-American governors. Early years Charles Francis Hurley was born in Cambri ...

Personal life

Dolan was born in Boston on September 22, 1876, to John Dolan, an Irish immigrant, and Delia Murphy Dolan, an English immigrant. He attended the

Boston Public Schools Boston Public Schools (BPS) is a school district serving the city of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest public school district in the state of Massachusetts. Leadership The district is led by a Superintendent, hired by the ...

and then was graduated from

Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...

in 1897.

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States. Each class ...

conferred a bachelor of laws degree in 1900 and he received a doctor of laws degree from Boston College in 1922. On September 29, 1903, Dolan married Christine M. Barr and they had five children.

Career

From 1900 to 1905, Dolan served on the Boston Common Council, and as presideing officer from 1902 to 1905. The following year, he chaired the commission that divided Suffolk County into representative districts, and then in 1907 became secretary to Boston Mayor

John F. Fitzgerald John Francis "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald (February 11, 1863 – October 2, 1950) was an American Democratic politician from Boston, Massachusetts. He served as a U.S. Representative and Mayor of Boston. He also made unsuccessful runs for the United ...

. At the election in 1907, he was chosen as Register of Probate for Suffolk County and served in that capacity until 1922. Governor

Channing Cox Channing Harris Cox (October 28, 1879August 20, 1968) was an American Republican politician, lawyer, and businessman from Massachusetts. He served as the 49th Governor of Massachusetts, from 1921 to 1925. He attended Dartmouth College and serv ...

appointed him a probate judge on November 29, 1922. On October 8, 1937, Governor

appointed Dolan as an associate justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. Upon his appointment, the Boston Bar Association unanimously adopted the following resolution:

Voted: That the Council of the Bar Association of the City of Boston notes with gratification the report of the choice of His Excellency, the Governor, of Hon. Arthur W. Dolan, Judge of the Probate Court in Suffolk County, to become an associate justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. The elevation is warranted by the excellent performance of his judicial duties in his present position and by his learning and capacity. The Council is confident that such a choice is destined to meet with widespread approval. The Council recommends to His Excellency, the Governor, the making of this appointment.

It was the first, and as of his death the last, time the Association had ever made that type of statement of a candidate who had been merely nominated. While on the SJC, he wrote 492 opinions, including 172 dealing with probate matters. Dolan served on the high court until August 20, 1949.

Notes

References

Justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court 1876 births 1949 deaths Boston College alumni Harvard Law School alumni Lawyers from Boston Politicians from Boston Judges of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court {{Massachusetts-state-judge-stub