Evelyn Croom Maxwell (July 27, 1863 – November 17, 1954) was a justice of the

Florida Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. It consists of seven members: the chief justice and six justices. Six members are chosen from six districts around the state to foster geographic diversity, and one ...

from 1902 to 1904.Erik Robinson, "Florida Supreme Court Justices: List of Life Dates", Florida Supreme Court Historical Society (June 2010).Joseph A. Boyd Jr., Randall Reder,
A History of the Florida Supreme Court
, ''University of Miami Law Review'' (1981), p. 1044-1046.

Biography

Maxwell was born in Evergreen, Alabama,"Judge Evelyn Croom Maxwell", ''Tampa Bay Times'' (November 19, 1954), p. 22. on July 27, 1863. His father was the former

Florida Secretary of State The Secretary of State of Florida is an executive officer of the state government of the U.S. state of Florida, established since the original 1838 Constitution of Florida, state constitution. Like the corresponding officials in other states, th ...

and Chief Justice

Augustus Maxwell Augustus Emmet Maxwell (September 21, 1820 – May 5, 1903) was an American lawyer and politician. Maxwell served in a number of political positions in the State of Florida including as one of Florida's Senators to the Confederate States Cong ...

, and he was the grandson of former justice

Walker Anderson Walker Anderson (July 18, 1801 – January 18, 1857) was a Florida lawyer and Democratic politician who served on the Florida Supreme Court from 1851 to 1853. He was born in Petersburg, Virginia, on July 18, 1801. He studied law at Raleigh, No ...

. Maxwell studied in the public and private schools of Pensacola and at the

University of Nashville University of Nashville was a private university in Nashville, Tennessee. It was established in 1806 as Cumberland College. It existed as a distinct entity until 1909; operating at various times a medical school, a four-year military college, a ...

in Tennessee, thereafter entering the practice of law in 1885. In 1892, Maxwell became a criminal court judge, sitting on the Escambia Criminal Court of Records. He was elevated to Circuit Judge in 1896. In 1901, the Florida Legislature addressed the court's increasing workload "by authorizing the court to appoint three attorneys to act as commissioners and assist the court in performing its duties". Maxwell was then appointed as a commissioner, along with James F. Glen and

William A. Hocker William Adams Hocker (December 5, 1844 – July 17, 1918) was a justice of the Florida Supreme Court from January 6, 1903, to January 5, 1915. Born in Buckingham County, Virginia,"William A. Hocker", ''The Ocala Evening Star'' (July 18, 1918), ...

. These appointments lasted until 1902, when a constitutional amendment was passed adding three temporary justices, who would serve until 1905. Maxwell became a Supreme Court justice on December 1, 1902, and served in that position until February 15, 1904, when he submitted his resignation to Governor

William Sherman Jennings William Sherman Jennings (March 24, 1863February 27, 1920) was an American politician. He served as the 18th Governor of Florida after being a lawyer, county judge, and state representative. Early years and education He was born near Walnut Hill ...

."Judge Evelyn C. Maxwell, of the Florida Supreme Court, will tender his resignation to Governor Jennings", ''Cleburne New Era'' (January 16, 1904), p. 8. As a justice, it is noted that Maxwell "was often teased about the apparent chaos and disorder of his office, even though he could find any document on a minute's notice". Maxwell died in

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ...

on November 17, 1954.

References

Justices of the Florida Supreme Court 1863 births 1954 deaths University of Nashville alumni Florida lawyers {{Florida-state-judge-stub