Charles Tilford McCormick (29 June 188922 December 1963) was an American university professor.

Early life and education

McCormick was born in

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, in 1889. He studied at the

University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public university, public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 stud ...

, graduating in 1909. He received a law degree from

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...

in 1912. At Texas, he became a brother of the

Phi Delta Theta Phi Delta Theta (), commonly known as Phi Delt, is an international secret and social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity founded in 1848, and currently headquartered, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, alo ...

social fraternity.

Teaching career

McCormick was a professor in the

School of Law A law school (also known as a law centre/center, college of law, or faculty of law) is an institution, professional school, or department of a college or university specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for bec ...

at the Austin campus of

University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...

(1922–1926 and 1940–1963). During his second tenure there he also served as Dean of the College from 1940 to 1949. He was a professor in the School of Law at the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...

(1926–1931) and

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

(1931–1940). He was Dean of the University of North Carolina's School of Law from 1927 to 1931.

Legacy

During his tenure as dean, McCormick led the UT Law School through the difficult war years, won approval for a new building, and is widely credited for his efforts to improve the curriculum, the faculty, and the school's national reputation. He was an authority on evidence, damages, and federal court procedure, and published extensively in those areas. In early 1950s, McCormick became involved in the civil rights movement because of several activists' attempts to attain entrance to the then-all-white university law school. McCormick actively resisted integrating the law school and sought to continue segregation. The university's response to '' Sweatt v. Painter'' was to create a colored section of the Law School, with McCormick as Dean.

Writings and committee service

McCormick authored the 1935 classic, ''Handbook on the Law of Damages'', which continues to be cited in legal opinions as authority. His ''Handbook on the Law of Evidence'' remains in print (now edited by a group of professors) and is a standard resource for lawyers and law students. He was a member of the

American Law Institute The American Law Institute (ALI) is a research and advocacy group of judges, lawyers, and legal scholars limited to 3,000 elected members and established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of United States common law and i ...

, the Philosophical Society of Texas, and served as president of the

Association of American Law Schools The Association of American Law Schools (AALS), formed in 1900, is a non-profit organization of 175 law schools in the United States. An additional 19 schools pay a fee to receive services but are not members. AALS incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non- ...

Death

McCormick died at

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

on 22 December 1963 at age 74, while still on the university staff. He left his voluminous papers to the University libraries.http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/rare/archives-lshis.html#lsdeans Charles T. McCormick papers, 1911-1964, bulk 1920-1962, Archival Collection - UT Law School Deans

References

Deans of law schools in the United States Harvard Law School alumni 1889 births 1963 deaths Scholars of evidence law American legal scholars Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law faculty 20th-century American academics University of North Carolina School of Law faculty {{US-legal-academic-bio-stub