Harold H. Burton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | |
| In office October 1, 1945 – October 13, 1958 | |
| Nominated by | Harry Truman |
| Preceded by | Owen Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Potter Stewart |
| Secretary of the Senate Republican Conference | |
| In office February 25, 1944 – September 30, 1945 | |
| Leader | Wallace White |
| Preceded by | Wallace White |
| Succeeded by | Chandler Gurney |
| United States Senator from Ohio | |
| In office January 3, 1941 – September 30, 1945 | |
| Preceded by | Vic Donahey |
| Succeeded by | James Huffman |
| 45th Mayor of Cleveland | |
| In office 1936–1940 | |
| Preceded by | Harry Davis |
| Succeeded by | Edward Blythin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 22, 1888 Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | October 28, 1964 (aged 76) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Selma Smith (m. 1912) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Bowdoin College (AB) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Signature |  |
Harold Hitz Burton (June 22, 1888 – October 28, 1964) was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 45th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, as a U.S. Senator from Ohio, and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Born in Boston, Burton practiced law in Cleveland after graduating from Harvard Law School. After serving in the United States Army during World War I, Burton became active in Republican Party politics and won election to the Ohio House of Representatives. After serving as the mayor of Cleveland, Burton won election to the United States Senate in 1940. After the retirement of Associate Justice Owen J. Roberts, President Harry S. Truman successfully nominated Burton to the Supreme Court. Burton served on the Court until 1958, when he was succeeded by Potter Stewart.
Burton was known as a dispassionate, pragmatic, somewhat plodding jurist who preferred to rule on technical and procedural rather than constitutional grounds. He was also seen as an affable justice who helped ease tension on the court during an extremely acrimonious time. He wrote the majority opinion in Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee v. McGrath (1951) and Lorain Journal Co. v. United States (1951). He also helped shape the Court's unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education (1954).