Solomon Heydenfeldt
Encyclopedia
Solomon Heydenfeldt was the first Jewish justice of the Supreme Court of California
in the Unitied States. He was elected by direct vote of the people and served from 1852 to 1857.
His opinion in Irwin v. Phillips, established the doctrine of prior appropriation in western water law
jurisprudence. He is also noted for arguing as an attorney before the California Supreme Court in Ex Parte Newman, 9 Cal. 502 (1858), where he successfully defended a Jewish man's right to work on Sunday. He refused to take a test oath for lawyers, which led to his retirement from the Bar
.
Supreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
in the Unitied States. He was elected by direct vote of the people and served from 1852 to 1857.
His opinion in Irwin v. Phillips, established the doctrine of prior appropriation in western water law
Water law
Water law is the field of law dealing with the ownership, control, and use of water as a resource. It is most closely related to property law, but has also become influenced by environmental law...
jurisprudence. He is also noted for arguing as an attorney before the California Supreme Court in Ex Parte Newman, 9 Cal. 502 (1858), where he successfully defended a Jewish man's right to work on Sunday. He refused to take a test oath for lawyers, which led to his retirement from the Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
.