Terry W. Ward

Terry Wilson Ward (September 24, 1885 – June 10, 1929) was an American attorney who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California from December 19, 1922, to January 8, 1923, which is the shortest term of any California justice.

Biography Ward was born in Merced, California, to Eliza M. Scott and Russell Henry Ward, an attorney who named his son after California Chief Justice David S. Terry. Ward was educated in the public schools, and graduated from Merced High School.

Ward entered into private practice in San Francisco with James F. Peck. In 1918, he was appointed by the court to defend a charge of first degree murder in case of a husband killing his mother-in-law. In early 1921, he returned to San Francisco, and by April found work with the State Corporation Commission. Ward received the most write in votes to succeed Shurtleff for the short interim term running from the election of November 7, 1922, to January 8, 1923. Seawell was elected at the same election for a twelve-year term to follow Ward's two week term.

After stepping down from the bench on January 7, 1923, he formed a law firm in San Francisco with Fred Berry, with whom he practiced until March 1924. The couple had no children.