Robert Earl (judge)

Robert Earl
Robert Earl (1893)
Chief Judge, New York Court of Appeals
In office 1869 - 1870, 1875 – 1894
Appointed by	Governor Samuel J. Tilden
Commissioner of Appeals
In office 1870–1872
First Judge and Surrogate, Herkimer County Court
In office 1856–1859
Personal details
Born	(1824-09-20)September 20, 1824 Herkimer, New York
Died	December 2, 1902(1902-12-02) (aged 78) Herkimer, New York
Resting place	Oak Hill Cemetery, Herkimer, New York
Spouse(s)	Juliette L. Wilkerson

Robert Earl (September 20, 1824 – December 2, 1902 Herkimer) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals in 1870 and 1892.

He was born on September 20, 1824, in the Town of Herkimer, in Herkimer County, New York. He was educated at the Herkimer Academy, and graduated from Union College in Schenectady in 1845. After graduation, he became Principal of Herkimer Academy, and at the same time studied law with Charles Gray in Herkimer. He was admitted to the bar in 1848, and practiced in partnership with his brother Samuel in their law firm in the Village of Herkimer, S. & R. Earl.

As a young lawyer, Earl was active in local politics and civic affairs. In 1849, he acquired a weekly newspaper, the "Herkimer Democrat", and served as its editor and publisher. In the same year, he was elected a supervisor of Herkimer, then trustee of the village, and again supervisor in 1860. He was also elected First Judge and Surrogate of the Herkimer County Court in 1855, and served from 1856 to 1859. In 1868, he served as President of the New York Democratic State Convention.

In 1869, he was elected on the Democratic ticket to the seat on the New York Court of Appeals to which Henry R. Selden had been elected in 1863. After Selden's resignation in January 1865, the seat had been occupied by John K. Porter (appointed 1865, elected for the remainder of the term in Nov. 1865, resigned Dec. 1867) and Lewis B. Woodruff (appointed 1868). Earl would have served for the remaining two years of the term, but was legislated out of office on July 4, 1870, when the Court of Appeals was completely re-organized. As the elected judge with the shortest remaining term, as was the rule established by the New York State Constitution of 1846, he was Chief Judge during his half year in office in 1870.