Edward Romph Kirkland (March 16, 1923 – November 26, 2012) was an American

attorney Attorney may refer to: * Lawyer ** Attorney at law, in some jurisdictions * Attorney, one who has power of attorney * ''The Attorney'', a 2013 South Korean film See also * Attorney general, the principal legal officer of (or advisor to) a gove ...

and politician. He served as a Democratic member of the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted ...

from 1951 to 1953. Kirkland was born in Coral Gables, Florida, the son of Ruby and George Kirkland. Kirkland served as a flight instructor and

fighter pilot A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and ...

for the United States Army Air Force during World War II. In March 1945 Kirkland was shot down over Germany and captured by an enemy patrol, but managed to escape and return to his unit. After the war Kirkland attended the University of Miami and Stetson University, where he earned his

law degree A law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers. But while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not confer a license themselves. A legal license is gra ...

. In 1951, he was elected to the

. After one term, he left office in 1953. He returned to his practice as a criminal defence lawyer, which included successfully arguing a case before the

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

in 1968.

Death and legacy

Kirkland died in November 2012 at Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park, Florida, at the age of 89. An accomplished golfer, he was inducted into the Stetson University Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.

References

1923 births 2012 deaths People from Coral Gables, Florida Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives 20th-century American legislators University of Miami alumni Stetson University alumni American male golfers American flight instructors 20th-century Florida politicians {{Florida-politician-stub