Jess E. Stephens

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Jess E. Stephens
Stephens in 1928
33rd Los Angeles City Attorney
In office
January 3, 1921 – June 30, 1929
Preceded byCharles S. Burnell
Succeeded byErwin P. Werner
Personal details
Born(1882-05-04)May 4, 1882
State Line, Indiana
DiedDecember 2, 1953(1953-12-02) (aged 71)
Los Angeles, California
Spouse
Alice Bernice Cherry
​
​
(m. 1907)​
Children2
RelativesAlbert Lee Stephens Sr. (brother)
Albert Lee Stephens Jr. (nephew)

Jess E. Stephens (May 4, 1882 – December 2, 1953) was an American attorney who was noted for his legal work on behalf of an important traffic tunnel project in that city and for a union railroad station there, as well as his handling of claims against the city after the collapse of the

Saint Francis Dam
. He later became a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Personal

Stephens was born May 4, 1882 in

State Line, Indiana, the son of Edwin Elias Stephens and Arminda Jane Rice, both of Ohio. He had a brother, Albert Lee Stephens, and four sisters. The family moved to Compton, California when Jess was 2, and he attended school there. In February 1900 he was graduated from Los Angeles High School, and then he studied law with a firm of attorneys and at Stanford University.[1][2][3][4]

He was married to Alice Bernice Cherry of Iowa and Illinois in the Pico Heights Congregational Church on September 1 or 18, 1907, and they had two children.[1][5][6]

He was a member of the

Elks, the Masons, the Shriners and the Whitley Park Country Club.[1] In 1930 he was president of the City Club.[7]

Stephens died at age 71 on December 2, 1953 in his home at 1416 N. Hayvenhurst Drive,

Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale.[1][2]

Vocation

Stephens was admitted to the

California Supreme Court.[1]

For two years he was associated with his brother, Albert Lee Stephens, as a vice president of the California Title Insurance Company, then known as the Title, Abstract & Trust Company.[1]

In 1909 he was appointed deputy

City Council appointed him as the city attorney to fill the unexpired term of Charles S. Burnell, who had been appointed a judge. He was elected to his own term in July 1921, and he served for eight years thereafter. In none of the elections did he face any opposition.[1][2][8][9][10]

As city attorney, he was notable for:

In 1929 he opened his own

city charter that had been adopted by voters in that city.[12][13]

In December 1937 he was appointed by Governor

Los Angeles Superior Court, along with Clement Nye and Benjamin Scheinman.[14] He served in the Appellate Division with Judges Hartley Shaw and Edward T. Bishop. Stephens retired from the court in October 1953, at the age of 69, saying that ill health prevented him from serving longer.[15]

References and notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Clare Wallace, Los Angeles Public Library reference file, with sources as listed there
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Jess E. Stephens, Retired Judge, Dies," Los Angeles Times, December 3, 1953, page 5
  3. ^ "High School Graduates," Los Angeles Herald, February 9, 1900
  4. ^ "Mrs. Nelson, Sister of Two Judges, Dies," Los Angeles Times, December 3, 1951, page A-7
  5. ^ "Society: To Wed This Evening," Los Angeles Herald, September 18, 1907
  6. ^ "Engagement Revealed at Tea," Los Angeles Times, August 15, 1933, page A-5
  7. ^ "City Club Cheers at Tax Ruling," Los Angeles Times, March 6, 1930, page A-5
  8. ^ Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials 1850–1938, Municipal Reference Library, March 1938, reprinted 1946
  9. ^ "Promoted, Announces Candidacy," Los Angeles Times, November 19, 1920, page II-1
  10. ^ "Stephens Honored in Campaign," Los Angeles Times, May 3,1925, page A7
  11. ^ a b "City Attorney's Office Handles Much Routine," Los Angeles Times, February 10, 1925, page A-6
  12. ^ "Ventura's Candidates File Names," Los Angeles Times, March 21, 1931, page 6
  13. ^ "News of Southern Counties: Charter Move Loses Round," Los Angeles Times, April 28, 1931, page A-10
  14. ^ "Three Named to Superior Court Bench," Los Angeles Times, December 23, 1937
  15. ^ "Superior Judge Stephens Retires," Los Angeles Times, October 10, 1953, page A-1

Further reading

  • [1] An encomium from the Fillmore American newspaper praising the work of "Jess E. Stephens—Lawyer—Man" in handling the demands of the survivors of the Saint Francis Dam disaster

Second Street Tunnel litigation

  • [2]"Calls Tunnel Suit Sinister: Public Works Chief Demands to Know Who Backs It; Second-Street Bore Attack Is Hit by Citizens, Improvement Thwarters Are Blamed for New Action," Los Angeles Times, January 21, 1921, page II-12
  • [3]"Will Tell City Stand on Tunnel," Los Angeles Times, February 10, 1924, page E-15
  • [4]"City Wins Suit on Legality of Tunnel Plans," Los Angeles Times, February 22, 1924, page A-10
  • [5]"One Tunnel Case Fails at Capital," Los Angeles Times, February 26, 1924, page A-5

Union Terminal litigation

  • [6] "Final Fight Under Way: Union Terminal Case Argued Before Supreme Court Narrowed to Authority of Interstate Body; Resumption of Proceedings Scheduled for Today in Washington," Los Angeles Times, October 29, 1929, page 1
  • [7] "Union Station Decision Near: Stephens Thinks Court May Rule Before Christmas; City's Special Attorney Home After Final Argument; Werner Expresses Hope for Favorable Action," Los Angeles Times, November 6, 1929, page A-1
  • [8] "Depot Fight End Seen: Counsel of City Pleased; Werner Says Final Outcome Settled Unless Carriers Try to Obstruct; Railway Lawyers Silent on Supreme Court Upholding Contested Order," Los Angeles Times, May 19, 1931, page 1


Preceded by Los Angeles City Attorney
Jess E. Stephens
1921–29 		Succeeded by
Erwin P. Warner


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