Name Richard Law Role Statesman | Children Lyman Law | |
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Died January 26, 1806, New London, Connecticut, United States | ||
Richard Law (March 7, 1733 – January 26, 1806) was an American lawyer, jurist and statesman from New London, Connecticut.
Born in Milford, Connecticut, Law graduated from Yale College in 1751 and read law to enter the bar in 1755. He was in private practice in Milford from 1755 to 1757, and in New London, Connecticut from 1757 to 1765. He was a justice of the peace in New London from 1765 to 1775, also serving as a member of the Connecticut General Assembly in 1774, 1776, 1777 and from 1780 to 1783. He was a Chief judge, New London County Court, Connecticut from 1773 to 1784. He was a Clerk, Connecticut General Assembly from 1774 to 1776. He was an assistant to the Connecticut General Assembly from 1776 to 1786, and was one of Connecticut's delegates to the Continental Congress in 1777 and from 1781 to 1782. He was later a judge on the Connecticut Superior Court (1784–1789), and the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut (1789–1806).
In October of 1786, Richard Law presided over the trial of twelve year old Hannah Ocuish, a half-Pequot Indian girl, for the murder of six year old Eunice Bolles. Upon the conclusion of the trial, Law sentenced the young girl to death on October 16th, 1786. Ocuish was hanged for her crime on December 20th, 1786, three months shy of her thirteenth birthday.
On September 24, 1789, Law was nominated by President George Washington to a seat on the newly established United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, created by 1 Stat. 73. Law was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 26, 1789, and received his commission the same day. Law served until his death, in New London.
His son, Lyman Law, would later represent Connecticut in the U. S. Congress. His grandson, John Law, served as United States Representative from Indiana.