James Woodrow Lewis

James Woodrow Lewis was a chief justice on the South Carolina Supreme Court.

James Woodrow Lewis
Chief Justice of South Carolina
In office
August 14, 1975 – March 7, 1984
Preceded byJoseph Rodney Moss
Succeeded byC. Bruce Littlejohn
Associate Justice of South Carolina
In office
February 21, 1961 – August 14, 1975
Preceded byClaude A. Taylor
Succeeded byWilliam Luther Rhodes
Personal details
BornMarch 8, 1912
Swift Creek, Darlington County, South Carolina
Died1999
Spouse(s)Alice Lee

Lewis was born in the Swift Creek area of Darlington County, South Carolina on March 8, 1912. Although he began law school in 1931, economic conditions during the Depression forced him to return home to Swift Creek to run a country store owned by his father. He continued studying the law under the tutelage of a local lawyer, and he was admitted to practice on December 6, 1935. At the age of 22, he was elected to the Statehouse. Legislators were exempt from the draft during World War II, but he resigned in midterm to enter the military.

Lewis served for sixteen years as a trial court judge before he was elected as an associate justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court on February 21, 1961. He was elected chief justice on January 21, 1975 to fill the unexpired term of Joseph Rodney Moss; was sworn in on August 14, 1975;[1] and served until his retirement in 1984.[2][3] Chief Justice Lewis retired upon reaching the state's mandatory retirement age of 72.[4]

References
  1. "News of the Region". Spartanburg Herald. Spartanburg, South Carolina. August 6, 1975. pp. A3. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  2. "Memory Hold the Door". University of South Carolina. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  3. "Concurrent Resolution of the South Carolina Statehouse". H.4447 (1999-2000). South Carolina. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  4. "Littlejohn moves up on court". Daily Item. Sumter, South Carolina. March 8, 1984. pp. 7B. Retrieved November 30, 2014.


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