Phil S. Gibson

Phil Sheridan Gibson (November 28, 1888 – April 28, 1984) was the 22nd Chief Justice of California for more than 24 years. Early life and education Gibson was born in Grant City, Missouri on November 28, 1888. He was the son of William Jesse and Mollie (Huntsman) Gibson. He attended the University of Missouri, graduating in 1912 with an A.B. and in 1914 with a LL.B. During college, he served as the secretary to the school's athletic director, Chester Brewer. In June 1914, on his graduation from law school he formed a partnership with David H. Robertson in Mexico, Missouri, and in November 1914 he was elected the Prosecuting Attorney of Worth County, Missouri. In April 1918, during World War I, Gibson was commissioned a Lieutenant in the 137th Infantry of the American Expeditionary Force, and later that year was posted to the front. After the war, he studied at the Inns of Court in London. Discharged from the service in 1920, he joined his brother in Denver, Colorado, and practiced law for two years. Legal and judicial career In 1922, Gibson moved to Los Angeles, establishing a practice, teaching at Southwestern Law School, and becoming active in Democratic politics. He served as a campaign advisor to Culbert Olson in 1938, and in December of that year the governor rewarded him with the position of Director of Finance. Then, in August 1939, Olson appointed Gibson as an associate justice to the Supreme Court of California to fill the vacant seat of William Langdon. Among Gibson's notable cases as an associate justice was his dissent from a contempt citation for commenting on judicial proceedings. On January 31, 1940, in a 5-2 decision by Jesse W. Curtis Sr., the court upheld the contempt ruling against the Los Angeles Times, rejecting the argument that it had a First Amendment right to criticize the court. Gibson dissented, joined by Douglas L. Edmonds. Upon appeal, in a 5-4 opinion by Justice Hugo Black, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed in Bridges v. California.