Walter Bergen Hamlin (March 13, 1898 – January 1, 1984) was a justice of the

Louisiana Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Louisiana (; ) is the supreme court, highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The Supreme ...

from December 15, 1958, to March 13, 1973, serving as Chief Justice after December 26, 1972.

Early life, education, and career

Born in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

, Hamlin attended the public schools in New Orleans public schools, and that city's

Soule Business College Soule Business College (sometimes called Soulé's Business College, Soule Commercial College, or Soule College) was an educational institution focused primary on practical business skills, established by George Soule (educator), George Soule in N ...

. He served in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

as an infantry sergeant, and then received an

LL.B. A Bachelor of Laws (; LLB) is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subje ...

from

Loyola University New Orleans Loyola University New Orleans is a Private university, private Jesuit university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the nam ...

in 1919."Retired Chief Justice Walter Hamlin dies", ''The Shreveport Times'' (January 4, 1984), p. 6. He thereafter engaged in the private practice of law until 1948, interrupted by service in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Judicial service

In 1948, he was elected to a seat on the Civil District Court for Orleans Parish, and was re-elected without opposition 1952. In 1958 he was elected to the state supreme court, to which he was reelected without opposition in 1966, and where he remained for fifteen years, until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. He served as chief justice for a period of months before his retirement.

Personal life and death

In 1923, Hamlin married Stella I. Malynn, who predeceased him. Hamlin died in New Orleans at the age of 85, following a brief illness. He was interred at the Hope Mausoleum.

References

Justices of the Louisiana Supreme Court 1898 births 1984 deaths Loyola University New Orleans alumni United States Navy personnel of World War II {{Louisiana-state-judge-stub