Robert Harris McCarter (April 28, 1859 – May 30, 1941) was an American lawyer who served as the

Attorney General of New Jersey The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confi ...

from 1903 until 1908, succeeding his brother Thomas N. McCarter. McCarter was born in

Newton, New Jersey Newton, officially the ''Town of Newton'', is an Local government in the United States, incorporated municipality in and the county seat of Sussex County, New Jersey, Sussex County Pingry School The Pingry School is a coeducational, independent, college preparatory country day school in New Jersey, with a Lower School (K–5) campus in the Short Hills neighborhood of Millburn, a Middle (6–8) and Upper School (9–12) campus in ...

and

Newark Academy Newark Academy is a coeducational private day school located in Livingston, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in sixth through twelfth grades. It was the first school in New Jersey to offer the International Ba ...

before entering

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

, where he graduated in 1879. He studied at

Columbia Law School Columbia Law School (CLS) is the Law school in the United States, law school of Columbia University, a Private university, private Ivy League university in New York City. The school was founded in 1858 as the Columbia College Law School. The un ...

, receiving his diploma in 1882, and was admitted to the New Jersey bar that same year.''Scannell's New Jersey's First Citizens and State Guide''
Vol. 2 (1919/1920). McCarter and his brother joined the law firm of their father, which had been established in Newton in 1845 and moved to Newark twenty years later. The firm was known as McCarter & Keen until the two younger McCarters, along with their brother-in-law Edwin B. Williamson, became partners, after which time it was known as McCarter, Williamson & McCarter. McCarter's brother Thomas served

from 1902 to 1903, resigning to become president of the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey. Governor Franklin Murphy nominated McCarter to take his brother's spot, and he was confirmed as Attorney General on May 5, 1903. He served for a term of five years.Official bio
Office of the

. Accessed June 26, 2008. After his tenure as Attorney General, he returned to his Newark law practice, which became known as

McCarter & English McCarter & English, LLP, is an American full-service law firm headquartered in Newark, New Jersey. Founded in 1845, it is one of the oldest law firms in the United States. Besides its Newark headquarters, the firm has offices across the United St ...

in 1906 after the death of Edwin B. Williamson and the promotion of Conover English to partner. Though he mostly took on corporate clients, he served as the defense attorney for one of New Jersey's most sensational criminal cases, the Hall-Mills Murder trial of 1926. Edward Wheeler Hall, a New Brunswick Episcopal priest, and Eleanor Reinhardt Mills, had been murdered, and McCarter defended the priest's wife and her brothers at trial. He managed to win acquittals for all three defendants."R.H. M'Carter Dies; Lawyer Since 1882"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', May 31, 1941. Accessed June 26, 2008. McCarter served as president of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He was counsel to Lester H. Clee in his 1937 campaign for

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The ...

against A. Harry Moore. In 1938, he served as counsel for a committee investigating election irregularities in

Hudson County Hudson County is a List of counties in New Jersey, county in the U.S. state of New Jersey, its smallest and most densely populated. Lying in the northeast of the state and on the west bank of the North River (Hudson River), Hudson River, the No ...

at a time when political boss

Frank Hague Francis Hague (January 17, 1876 – January 1, 1956), known as Frank Hague, was an American politician of the Democratic Party who served as mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey, from 1917 to 1947, and vice-chairman of the Democratic National Comm ...

held a tight grip on the county's electoral process. McCarter died of a heart attack on May 30, 1941, at his home in Rumson at the age of 82.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McCarter, Robert H. 1859 births 1941 deaths Columbia Law School alumni New Jersey attorneys general Politicians from Newark, New Jersey People from Newton, New Jersey People from Rumson, New Jersey Pingry School alumni Princeton University alumni Lawyers from Newark, New Jersey