Thomas P. White

Thomas Patrick White (September 28, 1888 – February 7, 1968) was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California from August 18, 1959, to October 31, 1962. Biography White was born in the Lincoln Heights district of Los Angeles, California, and educated in the public schools. He graduated from St. Vincent's high school, and studied for a year at St. Vincent's college. He then worked for the Santa Fe Railroad. In 1911, he graduated from the University of Southern California with a LL.B. degree. Following graduation, White entered private practice in the firm of Randall, Bartlett & White from 1911 to 1913. In 1913, he was appointed judge of the Los Angeles Police Court, taking the seat of H. H. Rose. In August 1914, he helped create a women's division in the court, which included women serving as judges. In 1918, he ran unsuccessfully for Superior Court judge. In 1920, he resigned from the Police Court to enter private practice in Los Angeles with the firm of Irwin, White & Rosecrans, where he employed a young attorney, Louis H. Burke, who went onto the California Supreme Court. On August 21, 1931, Governor James Rolph appointed White as a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. In 1932, White ran for re-election and won.