Robert W. Clifford

Robert W. Clifford
Associate Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
In office August 1, 1986 – August 31, 2009
Appointed by	Joseph E. Brennan
Preceded by	Elmer H. Violette
Succeeded by	Joseph Jabar
Chief Justice of the Maine Superior Court
In office 1984 – August 1, 1986
Justice of the Maine Superior Court
In office June 8, 1979 – 1984
Appointed by	Joseph E. Brennan
Member of the Maine Senate from the 13th district
In office January 3, 1973 – January 5, 1977
Preceded by	William H. Clifford Jr.
Succeeded by	Thomas M. Mangan
Mayor of Lewiston
In office January 1971 – January 1973
Preceded by	John B. Beliveau
Succeeded by	John C. Orestis
Member of the Lewiston Board of Aldermen
In office January 1968 – January 1970 President: 1969
Personal details
Born	Robert William Clifford (1937-05-02) May 2, 1937 Lewiston, Maine, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Clementina
Children	2
Education	Bowdoin College (AB) Boston College (JD) University of Virginia (LLM)
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1962-1964
Rank	Captain
Unit	U.S. Seventh Army

Robert William Clifford (born May 2, 1937) is an American politician, lawyer and retired associate justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. He was appointed to this position on August 1, 1986 by then-governor Joseph Brennan. He was reappointed to seven-year terms in 1993, 2000, and 2007. He retired in 2009.

Education

Clifford grew up in Lewiston, Maine and graduated from Lewiston High School in 1955. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1959, and earned a J.D. degree from Boston College Law School in 1962. He then served in the United States Army from 1962 to 1964 with the U.S. Seventh Army in Germany, attaining the rank of captain. In 1998, he earned an LLM in Judicial Process from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Career

Upon leaving the armed forces, Clifford practiced law in Lewiston-Auburn for fifteen years with the firm Clifford & Clifford. He was also an alderman and a two-time mayor in this city.

During his legislative tenure, he represented the senate on the Commission to Revise Maine's Probate Laws, which drafted Maine's current Probate Code. In 1978 and 1979 he was the Chairman of the Lewiston Charter Commission, which drafted Lewiston's current city charter.

On June 8, 1979, former Governor Joseph Brennan appointed Clifford to the state's Superior Court. Another appointment by Chief Justice Vincent L. McKusick made Clifford the first chief justice of the Maine Superior Court in 1984, a position he would hold until his appointment to the Supreme Judicial Court on August 1, 1986 by Governor Brennan.

Justice Clifford served as the Court's liaison to the Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure, and to the Maine Assistance Program. He also served as an adviser to the Criminal Law Advisory Commission.

Prior to his judicial service, Clifford worked in the state's senate during the 106th and 107th Legislatures as a Democrat.

Personal life

His wife is Clementina whom he married in 1964 and they have two children.

References

• Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory Profile
• (95) Robert W. Clifford Associate Justice 1986-present (old webpage)