Tom C. Clark
Position
Associate Justice
Seat
11
Nominated By
Truman
Commissioned on
Friday, August 19, 1949
Sworn In
Wednesday, August 24, 1949
Left Office
Monday, June 12, 1967
Reason For Leaving
Retired
Length of Service
17 years, 9 months, 19 days
Home
Texas
The Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States (Artist: C. Gregory Stapko)
Biography
Tom C. Clark was born, raised, and educated in Texas. The son of a prominent politician, Clark was active in Texas Democratic politics. He joined the Justice Department in 1937 and served as civilian coordinator of the forced evacuation of Japanese-Americans from the West Coast during World War II. President Harry S Truman appointed Clark attorney general in 1945, and nominated him to the High Court in 1949. Truman later lamented his choice. "It's not that he's a bad man," rued Truman. "It's just that he's the dumbest sonofabitch I ever met." Clark resigned in 1967 to avoid any question of conflict of interest after President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Clark's son, Ramsey, to serve as Attorney General.
Clerkships
| Clerk |
Law School |
Terms Clerked |
|---|---|---|
| Percy D. Williams | ||
| Donald F. Turner | 1950 | |
| C. Richard Walker | 1951 | |
| Bernard Weisberg | 1952 | |
| Ellis H. McKay | 1953 | |
| John J. Crown | 1956 | |
| Harry L. Hobson | 1956 | |
| Robert Gorman | 1957 | |
| Charles H. Phillips | 1958 | |
| Max O. Truitt, Jr. | 1958 | |
| Carl Estes | 1960 | |
| James E. Knox | 1961 | |
| Burk Mathes, Jr. | 1961 | |
| Martin J. Flynn | 1962 | |
| James L. McHugh, Jr. | 1963 |
Which player's contribution to baseball best matches Tom C. Clark's contribution to law?
Cite this Page
Tom C. Clark. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 27 April 2013. <http://www.oyez.org/justices/tom_c_clark?order=field_education_value&sort=asc>.
Tom C. Clark, The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, http://www.oyez.org/justices/tom_c_clark?order=field_education_value&sort=asc (last visited April 27, 2013).
"Tom C. Clark," The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, accessed April 27, 2013, http://www.oyez.org/justices/tom_c_clark?order=field_education_value&sort=asc.