Richard Joseph Hughes (August 10, 1909December 7, 1992) was an American lawyer, politician, and judge. A Democrat, he served as the 45th governor of New Jersey from 1962 to 1970, and as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1973 to 1979. Hughes is the only person to have served New Jersey as both governor and chief justice. Hughes was also the first Roman Catholic governor in New Jersey's history.

Early life and education

Hughes was born into an Irish-American family on August 10, 1909, in Florence Township, New Jersey. He was the son of Richard Paul and Veronica Hughes (née Gallagher). His father was active in Democratic politics, serving as a state civil service commissioner, warden (then known as "principal keeper") of Trenton State Prison, now called New Jersey State Prison, and chair of the Burlington County Democratic Party. Hughes graduated from Cathedral High School in Trenton, Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia and the New Jersey Law School, now Rutgers Law School. Hughes proved to be a strong campaigner, however, and achieved an upset victory over Republican nominee James P. Mitchell, who had been U.S. Secretary of Labor during the Eisenhower administration, by slightly under 35,000 votes.

Hughes was one of three final candidates considered by vice president and presidential nominee Hubert Humphrey to be the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1968.

Chief justice, 1973–1979

After serving as governor from 1962 to 1970, he served as the chief justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1973 to 1979, having been nominated for the post by his successor, William T. Cahill. When Hughes was chief justice, the court issued a unanimous ruling in the Karen Ann Quinlan case, allowing an individual the right to refuse medical treatment and the right of a guardian to exercise that right if the patient cannot. He suffered a stroke in 1991, The building in Trenton, New Jersey which bears his name that houses the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety (headed by the Attorney General), the courtroom, chambers and offices of the State Supreme Court, the courtroom and several chambers and offices of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, and the administrative headquarters of the statewide court system, was dedicated as the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex, in 1982 in his honor.

Personal life

Hughes had five sons, two daughters, and three stepsons. He married Miriam McGrory in 1935; they had four children. His first wife died in 1950; in 1955, he married Elizabeth Sullivan Murphy (died 1983), and they had three children.

Several of his children have become prominent in New Jersey law and politics. Hughes' stepson W. Michael Murphy Jr., a former Morris County prosecutor, placed third in the 1997 Democratic primary for governor of New Jersey.

References

Bibliography

Archival collections

  • Richard J. Hughes papers (The Monsignor Field Archives & Special Collection Center at Seton Hall University) - Contains the professional and personal papers of Richard J. Hughes covering his time as Governor of New Jersey to his tenure as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, primarily from the 1960s-1970s

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