| James Dudley Simon | |
|---|---|
| Justice, Louisiana Supreme Court | |
In office January 1, 1955 – August 23, 1960 | |
| Judge, Louisiana 16th Judicial District Court | |
In office 1925–1955 | |
| Louisiana State Senator for St. Martin and Lafayette County | |
In office 1921–1925 | |
| Preceded by | J. R. Domengeaux |
| Succeeded by | Donald Labbe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 30, 1897 St. Martinville, Louisiana, USA |
| Died | October 23, 1982 (aged 85) |
| Resting place | St. Michael's Cemetery in St. Martinville |
| Citizenship | American |
| Nationality | French-American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | (1) Eloise Gertrude Stone Simon (2) Lucille Bienvenu Simon |
| Children | From first marriage: Barbara (born 1931) |
| Parents | Judge James Simon Laurence Mouton Simon |
| Residence | St. Martinville, Louisiana |
| Alma mater | Louisiana State University Tulane University Law School |
| Occupation | Lawyer and Judge |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | World War I (1918-1919) |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
James Dudley Simon (January 30, 1897 – October 23, 1982) was a Democratic politician and jurist who capped his career with elected service on the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1955 to 1960.
Biography[]
Simon (pronounced SEE-MOAN) was born in St. Martinville in St. Martin Parish, to Judge James Simon and the former Laurence Mouton. He was the grandson of Judges Edward Simon and Edward Mouton and the great-grandson of Judge Edouard Simon. He was educated in public schoolss and then studied pre-law credentials at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He graduated in 1918 from the Tulane University Law School in New Orleans. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1918, the last year of World War I. He was discharged as a lieutenant in 1919.
Simon was a state senator from 1921 to 1925, when he resigned the seat to become judge of the Sixteenth Judicial District Court. He was reelected to the court for five consecutive six-year terms. He was appointed in 1941 by the Louisiana Supreme Court temporarily to the Orleans Court of Appeals in New Orleans, a position which he held until 1942. In 1947, the Supreme Court justices named Simon temporarily to the Fourteenth Judicial District Court, which covered Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, Cameron, and Beauregard parishes. He continued on the Sixteenth District Court until he was elected to the Supreme Court in January 1955 and served until his retirement on August 23, 1960.
In 1929, Simon wed the former Eloise Gertrude Stone of Alexandria in Rapides Parish, in Central Louisiana. She was the daughter of Walter Stone and the former Viola Carson of Texas. Their three daughters were Barbara (born 1931), Eloise Simon Bryant (born 1935), and Kathryn (born 1936). In 1955, Judge Simon married the former Lucille Bienvenu (1919–1998) of St. Martinville.
Simon was a charter member of the American Legion, which was established to organize service personnel from the Great War.
He is interred at St. Michael's Cemetery in St. Martinville.
References[]
- "James Dudley Simon", A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography, Vol. 2 (1988), p. 744
The original article can be found at James D. Simon and the edit history here.