Elliott Sandford (1840 – 1897)Clifford L. Ashton,
Utah: The Territorial and District Courts
, chapter 5 in James K. Logan, ''The Federal Courts of the Tenth Circuit: A History'' (1992), p. 156-57. was chief justice of the

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

of the

Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th st ...

from 1888 to 1889. Born in

Raynham, Massachusetts Raynham () is a New England town, town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located approximately south of Boston, Massachusetts, Boston and northeast of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was ...

, Sandford received his undergraduate degree from

Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...

and his law degree from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

. He practiced law primarily in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, until President

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...

appointed him as Chief Justice of the Utah Territorial Supreme Court in 1888 to succeed Charles S. Zane. As Chief Justice, Sandford was "severely criticized during this period for the leniency shown in both lack of prosecution and punishment of offenses under the anti-polygamy laws". Shortly after

Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was the 23rd president of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia—a grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison, and a ...

was inaugurated to succeed Cleveland, Sandford drafted a letter of resignation, which he submitted two months later upon request from the administration. Sandford then returned to private practice in New York. He was succeeded on the court by the reappointment of Zane.

References

1840 births 1897 deaths People from Raynham, Massachusetts Amherst College alumni Columbia Law School alumni Justices of the Utah Supreme Court {{Utah-state-judge-stub