Nearly four decades of service

Three weeks ago, I told you about the person who served the shortest amount of time on the Ohio Supreme Court: Hocking Hunter. Who served the longest?

Edward S. Matthias was elected in 1914 and spent more than 38 years on the court. He worked with 33 other judges (they weren’t called justices yet) during this time and it’s estimated that he wrote more than 1,000 opinions for the Ohio Supreme Court.

Ohio voters apparently liked the Matthias name, because they elected Edward’s son – John M. Matthias – to the Court in 1954 to complete his father’s unexpired term. The younger Judge Matthias served for nearly 16 years.

Judges Edward and John Matthias are only the second father-son succession on the Ohio Supreme Court in its 209-year history. The other was Paul M. and Thomas M. Herbert.

To read his full biography, click on this link:
http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/SCO/formerjustices/bios/matthiasES.asp.