Celebrating 200 Years

Charles Austin O'Niell (1869-1951)

Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Louisiana, April 6, 1914, to December 30, 1922

Chief Justice, December 31, 1922, to September 7, 1949

Born September 7, 1869, in Franklin, Louisiana • Father was an Irish immigrant and colonel in the Confederate Army • Educated at public schools in Franklin and at Tulane High School • Earned bachelor's degree at Christian Brothers College in Memphis 1890 • Read law at the office of Murphy Foster • Received law degree at Tulane and admitted to bar 1893 • Married Bettie Singleton Gordy March 21, 1894, and had nine children • Practiced in Franklin until 1908 when elected judge of the district court for St. Mary Parish • Elected associate justice and sworn in April 6, 1914 • Through seniority became chief justice December 31, 1922 • Presided over the impeachment trial of Huey P. Long 1929 • Opposed the Long faction, which sought to remove him from the court • Forced to retire in 1949 at age 80 after Governor Earl Long sponsored legislation establishing mandatory retirement age • Upon retirement had served longer on the Supreme Court than any of his predecessors - 35 years • Holds the record--26 years and nine months-- for longest service as chief justice • Highly regarded for the quality of his opinions • Died at his apartment at the Monteleone Hotel on Royal Street on March 9, 1951 • Portrait painted by John Clay Parker