John T. Culbertson Jr. (August 7, 1891 – July 26, 1982) was an Illinois lawyer and judge.

Early and family life

Born in Delavan,

Tazewell County, Illinois Tazewell County () is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 135,394. Its county seat and largest city is Pekin. It is pronounced with a short "a", to rhyme with "razz" rather than "raze." ...

, Culbertson graduated from Delavan High School. He received his law degree from

Illinois Wesleyan University Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

in 1913. In 1915, he married Helen Read, who would survive him; they had one daughter.

Career

Admitted to the Illinois bar in 1913 and the Missouri bar the following year, Culbertson taught law at the Kansas City School of Law in 1914 and 1915. He began practicing law in his hometown in 1916 and his brother Robert M. Culberton joined in 1926 and he and his son of the same name would continue that private legal practice even when John Culbertson left it upon becoming a judge. Culbertson served on the county and circuit courts for

from 1930 until 1934. On June 4, 1934, as the

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

nominee, he won a

special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...

to fill a vacancy on the 10th Circuit Court left by the death of John M Niehaus, defeating

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or again ...

George Z. Varnee by 37,972 votes to 31,654. Culbertson also served on the

Illinois Appellate Court The Illinois Appellate Court is the court of first appeal for civil and criminal cases rising in the Illinois Circuit Courts. Three Illinois Appellate Court judges hear each case and the concurrence of two is necessary to render a decision. The ...

for three decades, first in the Third District and after 1964 in the Fourth District. After Illinois Supreme Court justice Ray Klingbiel resigned in a scandal, Judge Culbertson served on Illinois's highest court in 1969 and 1970 before retiring. His successor was Howard C. Ryan.

Death and legacy

Judge Culbertson died at his home in Delavan, Illinois in 1982, survived by his widow. Both are buried at Prairie Rest cemetery in Delavan. .

Notes

1891 births 1982 deaths People from Delavan, Illinois Illinois Wesleyan University alumni University of Missouri–Kansas City faculty Missouri lawyers Illinois state court judges Judges of the Illinois Appellate Court Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court 20th-century American judges 20th-century American lawyers {{Illinois-politician-stub