On this day in Alabama history: George Washington Stone was born in Virginia
George Washington Stone (1811-1894) was a justice of the Alabama Supreme Court whose decisions and opinions contributed to the professionalization of law and set important precedents relating to self-defense in murder cases. (From Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of Alabama Department of Archives and History)
October 24, 1811
Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court George Washington Stone was born in Virginia. Stone moved to Talladega County in 1834 and was elected to the Supreme Court by the General Assembly in 1856. During his 28 years on the court, he wrote more than 2,400 opinions that extend through 60 volumes of the court’s official reports. His most influential opinions limited the use of self-defense in murder cases, setting a precedent that was later cited in rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court and continues to have relevance today. Stone played a vital role in the creation of the Alabama Bar Association and was inducted into the Alabama Hall of Fame.
Read more at Encyclopedia of Alabama.
Portrait of George Washington Stone, Alabama Supreme Court justice, 1887. (Alabama Department of Archives and History, Wikipedia)
For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.
