William West Harvey

William West Harvey (November 21, 1869 – September 27, 1958 ) was a member of the Kansas House of Representatives and a justice of the Kansas Supreme Court from January 8, 1923, to January 8, 1945, and chief justice from January 8, 1945, to March 1, 1956.

In 1906 he set up his own practice in Ashland, Kansas, and in the same year became the Clark County attorney for one term. June 17, 1921, he was made Assistant Attorney General, he was the third member of his family to hold the position.

Harvey stood for the supreme court in 1922 against the incumbent Judson S. West who had already served two terms. Harvey won the number 2 position with 38% of the vote, just beating West who gained 37% of the vote. In 1939 the retirement of Justice William Easton Hutchinson caused a shuffle of the court with only Justice Harvey and Chief Justice John Shaw Dawson keeping their places. He then became the Chief Justice in 1945 filling the position vacated by the retirement of Chief Justice Dawson.

Harvey resigned as Chief Justice as of March 1, 1956, before the end of his full term with Justice William A. Smith being promoted to the Chief Justice position. The vacant No. 2 position on the court was filled by Harold R. Fatzer.

Life and education He was born November 21, 1869, in Madison County, Kansas, moving to a farm near Berryton, Shawnee County, Kansas, in 1877.

Death He died of a heart attack on the way to hospital after collapsing in his home in Topeka, Kansas, on Saturday September 27, 1958. His wife Marie had died a few years before him in 1952. He left behind a daughter Helen Righter and a son Howard S. Harvey. He was buried in Ridgeway cemetery near Carbondale.