Walter T. McCarthy (1898 – March 18, 1985) was an American lawyer and judge. He served as a circuit court judge from 1930 to 1972 in Arlington, Virginia.

Early life

Walter T. McCarthy was born in 1898, in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

and moved to Arlington, Virginia at a young age. He did not finish high school. He graduated from George Washington University and then graduated from

George Washington University Law School The George Washington University Law School (GW Law) is the law school of George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. Established in 1865, GW Law is the oldest top law school in the national capital. GW Law offers the largest range of cou ...

. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Career

In 1930, McCarthy became the judge of Virginia's 16th Circuit Court, which then represented Arlington County, Fairfax County, Prince William County and the city of Alexandria. He succeeded Howard W. Smith. He was the youngest circuit court judge appointed in Virginia at the time. In 1944, McCarthy was elected to Virginia's 35th Circuit Court, representing Arlington County. In the 1950s, McCarthy ruled in a major decision that gave Arlington County Board the right to reject zoning applications in order to curb growth. He also ruled on other decisions that formed much of Arlington County's zoning laws. In 1958, McCarthy ruled that racial segregation at churches, movie theaters and other public places was unconstitutional. McCarthy retired in 1972, but continued hearing cases until 1980.

Personal life

McCarthy married Ruth Clark of Washington, D.C. Together, they had five children: Steve, Wilson, Walter, Robert and Helen.

Death and legacy

McCarthy died on March 18, 1985, while on vacation in

Stuart, Florida Stuart is a city in and the seat of Martin County, Florida, United States. Located on Florida's Treasure Coast, Stuart is the largest of four incorporated municipalities in Martin County. The population is 17,425 according to the 2020 United State ...

. The Walter T. McCarthy Law Library in the Arlington Courthouse was named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCarthy, Walter T. Date of birth missing 1898 births 1985 deaths Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia Lawyers from Arlington County, Virginia George Washington University alumni George Washington University Law School alumni Virginia circuit court judges 20th-century American judges