Obituaries

Frank Caprio, judge whose kindness led to online fame, dies at 88

Frank Caprio, the Rhode Island jurist whose compassion in the courtroom found him fame on TV and online, earning him the nickname “the nicest judge in the world,” has died. He was 88.

Aug 21, 2025 10:00 AM CDT

Gerry Spence, Wyoming lawyer known for his trial work and western wear, dies at 96

Gerry Spence, a Wyoming lawyer with a string of high-profile courtroom wins and a dramatic flair, died on Wednesday at his home in Montecito, California, surrounded by family, according to news accounts. He was 96.

Aug 15, 2025 12:46 PM CDT

Epstein lawyer Roy Black, ‘GOAT of criminal defense lawyers,’ dies at 80

Criminal defense lawyer Roy Black, known for representation of defendants who included multimillionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein and physician William Kennedy Smith, a member of the Kennedy family, died Monday at age 80.

Jul 24, 2025 9:33 AM CDT

William Neukom, former ABA president with influence ‘from boardrooms to ballparks to courtrooms,’ dies at 83

Former ABA president Bill Neukom, once chief lawyer for Microsoft and CEO of the San Francisco Giants, has died at 83.

Jul 17, 2025 11:22 AM CDT

Bill Paul, ABA’s first Native American president, dies at 94

A firm believer in increasing diversity in the legal profession, Bill Paul and his wife funded the initial $100,000 to establish the ABA’s Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund, alongside his longtime firm, Crowe & Dunlevy.

Jul 1, 2025 1:34 PM CDT

David Souter, former US Supreme Court justice, dies at 85

David Souter, the former U.S. Supreme Court justice who dismayed Republicans by siding with liberals on some of America’s most contentious social issues after his appointment by President George H.W. Bush, has died. “Justice David Souter served our court with great distinction for nearly twenty years,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement. “He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service.”

May 9, 2025 8:50 AM CDT

Plane crash victims include 2 Wilkinson Stekloff associates, civil rights attorney set to join law faculty

Victims of the Washington, D.C., plane crash Jan. 29 include two Wilkinson Stekloff associates and a civil rights lawyer planning to join the faculty of the Howard University School of Law this fall.

Feb 3, 2025 10:53 AM CST

Arizona judge who championed domestic violence survivors dies at 77

Judge Elizabeth "Ellie" Finn, a champion of specialized courts who served as a judge in Arizona for more than 42 years, died Dec. 27 at age 77.

Jan 9, 2025 2:54 PM CST

Remembering President James Earl ‘Jimmy’ Carter, ever the teacher

Educators and students preparing to begin a new semester can make good use of lessons about leadership and purposeful service that can be gleaned from the beautiful life of former President James Earl “Jimmy” Carter. That is especially so for law school communities for at least two reasons.

Jan 7, 2025 8:51 AM CST

Our top LinkedIn posts of 2024

As we close the door on 2024 and step into 2025, we're giving readers a behind-the-scenes look at the ABA Journal's LinkedIn page and social media analytics.

Dec 23, 2024 10:54 AM CST

Theodore B. Olson, conservative lawyer who backed marriage equality, dies at 84

Theodore B. Olson, a conservative constitutional lawyer who argued the 2000 Florida vote-recount case that helped George W. Bush secure the presidency and later helped lead the case that overturned California’s 2008 ban on same-sex marriage, has died. He was 84.

Nov 13, 2024 9:30 AM CST

Joyce Hens Green, a pioneering woman on the federal bench, dies at 95

Joyce Hens Green, who helped blaze a trail for women in the law while serving as a Washington attorney and federal judge, presiding over high-profile cases involving the BCCI bank fraud scandal and the rights of detainees at Guantánamo Bay, has died. She was 95.

Oct 18, 2024 8:10 AM CDT

Sharecropper’s son who rose from poverty to become first Black New Jersey justice dies at 91

Updated: Former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice James H. Coleman Jr. died at age 91 on Aug. 2, rising from his childhood in a home without electricity and running water to become the first Black justice appointed to the state supreme court.

Aug 5, 2024 10:18 AM CDT

Former ABA President Tommy Wells has died

Past ABA President H. Thomas “Tommy” Wells Jr. died on Wednesday. “Tommy was an amazing leader for this association, and I don’t think he ever had an enemy in the world,” said ABA President Mary Smith, calling his death a “horrible loss for all of us and the association.”

Aug 1, 2024 4:30 PM CDT

Celebrated criminal defense attorney Neal Sonnett dies at 81

Neal Sonnett, a renowned criminal defense attorney and active leader in the ABA, died on Thursday at the age of 81. He was instrumental in the ABA’s efforts to protect civil liberties in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Jul 16, 2024 11:00 AM CDT