Charles S. Richards (1878 – October 8, 1971)Former Justice Richards dies
, ''The Wilmington Morning News'' (October 9, 1971), p. 5.Former Chief Justice Of Delaware Dies at 93
, ''Hazleton Standard-Speaker'' (October 9, 1971), p. 21. was chief justice of the

Delaware Supreme Court The Delaware Supreme Court is the sole appellate court in the United States state of Delaware. Because Delaware is a popular haven for corporations, the Court has developed a worldwide reputation as a respected source of corporate law decisions, ...

from 1945 to 1951, and president judge of the Delaware Superior Court from then until 1956. Born in

Georgetown, Delaware Georgetown is a town in and the county seat of Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade. Georgetown is pa ...

, Richards studied law at

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...

, and gained admission to the bar in Sussex on April 7, 1904."Sussex Firebug Sentenced", ''The Wilmington Evening Journal'' (April 7, 1904), p. 1. In 1929, Richards was appointed by Governor C. Douglass Buck to the position of Resident Judge of Sussex County, taking office on June 3, 1929. On August 13, 1945, Governor

Walter W. Bacon Walter Wolfkiel Bacon (January 20, 1880 – March 18, 1962) was an American politician and accountant from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party who served three terms as Mayor of Wilmington and two ...

nominated Richards as chief justice shortly after withdrawing his nomination of Daniel J. Layton for the seat."C. S. Richards Chief Justice; Carey Judge", ''The Wilmington Morning News'' (August 14, 1945), p. 1. The nomination of Richards was quickly confirmed. During the course of his service, the court was reconfigured, with Richards becoming the first President Judge of the Superior Court on May 8, 1951. While serving in the court, Richards "helped in the fight to keep the traditional look in the rebuilding of the Sussex County Courthouse". Richards "was cited as one of six judges who helped build the body of case law in the corporate field". Richards retired from the bench on January 1, 1956. Richards was hospitalized at Beebe Memorial Hospital in

Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...

for a broken hip in September 1971, and died weeks later, after a short illness, at the age of 93.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Charles S. 1878 births 1971 deaths People from Georgetown, Delaware Georgetown University alumni Justices of the Delaware Supreme Court