Hugh J. Rosellini

Hugh J. Rosellini (June 16, 1909 – November 26, 1984) was an American lawyer, politician and justice of the Washington Supreme Court from 1955 to 1984, who also served as chief justice from 1965 to 1967.

Early life and education Rosellini was born and raised in Tacoma, the only child of immigrants from Chiesina, Italy. In 1944, he ran unsuccessfully for Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney. In 1954, Judge Rosellini excused with good humor a 103-year old man summoned to jury service due to his age.

In 1950, he ran unsuccessfully for the state Supreme Court, losing to Frederick Hamley. In 1954, Rosellini ran again and was elected as justice of the Supreme Court, winning over Richard Ott, who joined the court a year later. In the 1966 election, Rosellini was challenged by Vaughn Evans but won re-election. Rosellini served as chief justice of the Supreme Court from January 11, 1965, to January 8, 1967.

Rosellini maintained wide intellectual interests, including Bar matters and international affairs. In September 1965, he delivered a speech at the regional meeting of the American Bar Association. In 1967, Rosellini participated in the Thirty-first American Assembly on the United States and Eastern Europe.

His notable cases include Spokane v. McDonough (1971), in which a student at a speech by Vice-President Spiro Agnew at Gonzaga University in 1968 was convicted of disorderly conduct for shouting out his opposition to the Vietnam War. The state Supreme Court reversed the conviction, and Rosellini wrote for the majority: "On such an occasion, where an open-air crowd is tacitly invited to demonstrate its approval of the speaker and his party through applause, cheers and friendly expletives, it is to be expected that those of opposing views in the audience are likely to convey vociferously their disapproval in an orderly but vocal way."

Personal life In 1938, he married Yvonne Chrissy Lee (May 8, 1914 – March 15, 1982), in Port Orchard, Washington. He died November 26, 1984, while still in office.