Associate Justice Dayton A. Oliphant

Justice Oliphant was born in Trenton on Oct. 28, 1887. He was the son of Henry D. Oliphant, for many years Clerk of the United States Circuit Court. His uncle, William L. Dayton was United States Senator from New Jersey, Ambassador to France under President Lincoln and the candidate for Vice-President on the first Republican National ticket. He attended Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He was admitted to the New Jersey Bar as an attorney in November 1911 and as a counsellor in June 1916. He was a member of the House of Assembly in the sessions of 1915-16-17, being majority leader in 1917. Governor Edge appointed him Prosecutor of the Pleas for Mercer County in 1918, in which office he served one term. A Princeton resident, Justice Oliphant was a member of the Mercer County, State and American Bar Association, a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, the Tiger Inn Club of Princeton and other clubs and organizations.

He was appointed Circuit Court Judge by Governor Moore in 1927 and was reappointed in 1934 and 1941. On May 21, 1945, Governor Edge appointed Judge Oliphant a Justice of the Supreme Court, and the appointment was immediately confirmed by the Senate. On Sept. 30, 1946, Governor Edge named Justice Oliphant as Chancellor for a full term of seven years beginning Oct.18, 1946. He was on the same day confirmed by the Senate in special session. Chancellor Campbell having resigned as of Oct. 15, 1946, Justice Oliphant was appointed to the ad interim term as of that date. He immediately resigned as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and was inducted into office as Chancellor. On appointment by Governor Driscoll, he was named as an Associate Justice of the new Supreme Court under the Constitution of 1947 and took office on Sept. 15, 1948. Justice Oliphant retired in 1957 and died on June 25, 1963, at the age of 76.

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