Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Michael Fox papers, 1961-1997
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Fox, Michael J. (Michael James), 1944-
- Title
- Michael Fox papers
- Dates
- 1961-1997 (inclusive)19611997
1971-1974 (bulk)19711974 - Quantity
- 2.28 cubic feet (2 box)
- Collection Number
- 5926 (Accession No. 5926-001)
- Summary
- Records relating to Michael Fox's role as a United Farmworkers of Washington lawyer
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on access.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Judge Michael James Fox was born in New London, Connecticut in 1944. During the 1960s, he became politically active in the Civil Rights Movement. While attending law school in Georgia, Fox was part of the Legal Aid Society—an organization that provided legal services to people from low-income backgrounds. After law school, his experience with the Legal Aid Society greatly influenced his decision to continue to help underrepresented people. Having also acquired Spanish speaking skills, Fox became interested in working with the large population of Spansih-speaking Latino/a farmworkers. In 1965, the US Congress created the Office of Economic Opportunity which funded the Legal Services Program, a private non-profit corporation providing legal services to people living in poverty. In that same year, a strike of Filipino American grape pickers in Delano, California gained the cooperation of Cesar Chavez and others, who began organizing migrant agricultural workers in California. Using the same organizing model, workers in Washington State organized an independent branch of the United Farm Workers of Washington State in 1967. In 1969, Fox moved to Washington through the Reginald Heber Smith Fellowship, a program that places lawyers in areas to help those who do not have access to legal aid, and discovered that the state had the fourth largest migrant farmworker population in the country. In the following year, the wildcat hop strikes began in the Yakima Valley. Fox connected with the organizers of the hop strikes, Tomás Villanueva and Lupe Gamboa, and offered to provide legal representation to the emerging farmworkers union. As the UFW lawyer, Fox in Garza v. Patnode (1971) argued successfully that farmworkers had the right to organize. In that same year, Fox and Lupe Gamboa were arrested and convicted for trespassing onto the Roger’s Walla Walla labor camp. Their convictions were eventually overturned and the decision confirmed that tenants in labor camps had the right to meet with union representatives and attorneys. Both cases were instrumental to the early efforts of the union (see State v. Fox, 1973 ). Fox continued to provide legal representation to the UFW until 1988. In that year Fox became a King County Superior Court Judge. On the bench, Fox called attention to the treatment of minorities in the legal system, particularly related to drug sentencing. Fox retired in 2011 after a distinguished judicial career.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection traces a series of legal cases arising out of the June 19, 1971 arrest for trespassing of Seattle-King County Legal Services attorney Michael Fox and union organizer Guadalupe Gamboa of the UFW Co-op in Toppenish. Fox and Gamboa visited the Rogers Walla Walla Inc. migrant labor camp following Gamboa’s contact with workers there who had grievances regarding their working and living conditions. When they attempted to meet with workers, Rogers employees refused them entry without their naming the individuals they were meeting with and the purpose of their meeting. Fox and Gamboa refused to provide names, reasoning that employees named would be in potential danger of losing their jobs or worse. Rogers representatives called the sheriff who arrested Fox and Gamboa for trespassing and fined them $25 each. Fox and Gamboa appealed their conviction to the Superior Court of the County of Walla Walla, which affirmed the conviction in December 1971. Fox and Gamboa then appealed to the Washington State Supreme Court, which reversed the finding of the Superior Court in May 1973. This established an important precedent for future organizers and attorneys in the state. The State of Washington sought a hearing in the United State Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case. In Fox v. Klundt [Walla Walla County Sheriff] et al , Fox brought a civil suit against representatives of Rogers Walla Walla for damages and received a settlement of $6,000. Records include legal materials and newspaper articles relating to the court cases. Other records relate to the State of Washington State v. Michael Fox, 1973.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Organized into 2 accessions.
- Accession No. 5926-001, Michael Fox papers, 1971-1974, 1994
- Accession No. 5926-002, Michael J. Fox papers, 1961-1997
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 5926-001: Michael Fox papers, 1971-1974, 1994Return to Top
Scope and Content: This collection traces a series of legal cases arising out of the June 19, 1971 arrest for trespassing of Seattle-King County Legal Services attorney Michael Fox and union organizer Guadalupe Gamboa of the UFW Co-op in Toppenish. Fox and Gamboa visited the Rogers Walla Walla Inc. migrant labor camp following Gamboa's contact with workers there who had grievances regarding their working and living conditions. When they attempted to meet with workers, Rogers employees refused them entry without their naming the individuals they were meeting with and the purpose of their meeting. Fox and Gamboa refused to provide names, reasoning that employees named would be in potential danger of losing their jobs or worse. Rogers representatives called the sheriff who arrested Fox and Gamboa for trespassing and fined them $25 each. Fox and Gamboa appealed their conviction to the Superior Court of the County of Walla Walla, which affirmed the conviction in December 1971. Fox and Gamboa then appealed to the Washington State Supreme Court, which reversed the finding of the Superior Court in May 1973. This established an important precedent for future organizers and attorneys in the state. The State of Washington sought a hearing in the United State Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case. In Fox v. Klundt [Walla Walla County Sheriff] et al, Fox brought a civil suit against representatives of Rogers Walla Walla for damages and received a settlement of $6,000. Records include legal materials and newspapers articles relating to the court cases. Other records relate to the State of Washington v. Michael Fox, 1973.
Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Acquisition Info: Michael J. Fox, 2016
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
SERIES
I: COURT
CASES |
1971-1974,1994 | ||
| Box/Folder | Accession | ||
| 1/1 | 5926-001 | Events of June 1971 |
1971 |
| 1/2 | 5926-001 | Walla Walla County
Court |
1971-1972 |
| 1/3 | 5926-001 | Washington State Superior
Court, Walla Walla County |
1971-1972 |
| 1/4 | 5926-001 | Washington State Superior
Court, Walla Walla County |
1972 |
| 1/5 | 5926-001 | Preparation for State of
Washington v. Fox |
1972 |
| 1/6 | 5926-001 | Washington State Supreme Court,
State of Washington v. Fox Appeal--Part 1 of 6 |
1972 |
| 1/7 | 5926-001 | Washington State Supreme Court,
State of Washington v. Fox Appeal--Part 2 of 6 |
1972 |
| 1/8 | 5926-001 | Washington State Supreme Court,
State of Washington v. Fox Appeal--Part 3 of 6 |
1972 |
| 1/9 | 5926-001 | Washington State Supreme Court,
State of Washington v. Fox Appeal--Part 4 of 6 |
1971-1972 |
| 1/10 | 5926-001 | Washington State Supreme Court,
State of Washington v. Fox Appeal--Part 5 of 6 |
1972 |
| 1/11 | 5926-001 | Washington State Supreme Court,
State of Washington v. Fox Appeal--Part 6 of 6 |
1972-1973 |
| 1/12 | 5926-001 | U.S. District Court, Fox v.
Klundt--Part 1 of 2 |
1971-1972 |
| 1/13 | 5926-001 | U.S. District Court, Fox v.
Klundt--Part 2 of 2 |
1971-1974 |
| 1/14 | 5926-001 | U.S. Supreme Court--State of
Washington v. Fox |
1973 |
| 1/15 | 5926-001 | Additional Materials Related to
Court Cases |
1974-1994 |
Accession No. 5926-002: Michael J. Fox papers, 1961-1997 (bulk 1970s)Return to Top
Scope and Content: This collection is primarily comprised of documents relating to the State of Washington v. Fox court case and appeals process, which spanned from 1971-1974. The case began on June 19th, 1971 when Michael Fox and Guadalupe Gamboa were arrested for trespassing in a migrant workers camp run by the Rogers Walla Walla Company. A transcript from the case relating to the incident is in Box 1, Folder 5. After being found guilty in the District court (Box 1, Folders 10 and 14), Fox and Gamboa took the case through the appeals process where it finally was heard by the Washington State Supreme Court, (Box 1, Folder 21-23). The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Fox and Gamboa and therefore set a legal precedent of the right of lawyers and union organizers to have access to migrant workers on private lands. The collection contains documentation and transcripts from all of the trials as well as the pre-trial correspondence between Fox and various organizations in his effort to secure amicus briefs (Box 1, Folder 13-15). Multiple articles relating to the case have also been placed into this collection (Box 1, Folders 4, 27 and 32). In addition, there are articles about Michael Fox’s career as a judge (Box 1, Folder 37, 38), as well as articles that Fox wrote or that he collected (Box 1, Folders 26, 30, 31, 34 and 35).
Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Michael Fox in March 2016.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | Accession | ||
| 1/1 | 5926-002 | Photo with law school classmate, December
1997 |
December 29, 1997 |
| 1/2 | 5926-002 | Loomis school Founder's Day program, 1961 |
October 7, 1961 |
| 1/3 | 5926-002 | Oferta de Empleo Rogers Walla Walla |
May 24, 1905 |
| 1/4 | 5926-002 | Newspaper Articles regarding Fox and Gamboa
Arrest |
May 24-25, 1905 |
| 1/5 | 5926-002 | Fox Transcript at Migrant Labor Camp |
June 19, 1971 |
| 1/6 | 5926-002 | Fox correspondence with Mr. Hahner |
September 26-29, 1972 |
| 1/7 | 5926-002 | Inspection of Walla Walla Labor Camp |
June 22, 1971 |
| 1/8 | 5926-002 | United States Supreme Court, State of Washington vs Fox
and Gamboa writ of certiorari |
October 1, 1973 |
| 1/9 | 5926-002 | State of Washington vs Fox and Gamboa brief of
respondent |
May 26, 1973 |
| 1/10 | 5926-002 | United States District Court Fox vs Klundt, Ray, Tone,
Lang and Rogers |
July 1, 1971 |
| 1/11 | 5926-002 | Washington State Supreme Court No. 42339 State of
Washington vs Fox and Gamboa Appeal |
July 7, 1972 |
| 1/12 | 5926-002 | Superior Court of Washington No. 60010, Washington vs
Fox and Gamboa |
February 28, 1972 |
| 1/13 | 5926-002 | Letters to Mario Obledo and Hugh Hafer from Michael
Fox |
August 2-November 30, 1971 |
| 1/14 | 5926-002 | Walla Walla DIstrict Justice Court No.37462, Washington
vs Gamboa |
June 19-July 15, 1971 |
| 1/15 | 5926-002 | Washington State Supreme Court Pre-trial
correspondence |
September 22, 1971-October 2, 1972 |
| 1/16 | 5926-002 | Superior Court of Washington No. 60010, Proposed
findings of facts and conclusions |
January 6, 1972 |
| 1/17 | 5926-002 | Pre-Trial Court case filings |
June 1, 1971-May 1, 1972 |
| 1/18 | 5926-002 | Fox vs Klundt Consent Decree and Judgement, with
correspondence |
April 17, 1974-April 1, 1975 |
| 1/19 | 5926-002 | Office of Legal Services Amicus Brief, Washington
Supreme Court No. 42339 |
May 26, 1973 |
| 1/20 | 5926-002 | National Legal Aid and Defender Association Amicus
Brief, Washington Supreme Court |
May 26, 1973 |
| 1/21 | 5926-002 | Superior Court of Washington No. 60010, Statement of
Facts [Part 1 of 3] |
December 9, 1971 |
| 1/22 | 5926-002 | Superior Court of Washington No. 60010, Statement of
Facts [Part 2 of 3] |
December 9-10, 1971 |
| 1/23 | 5926-002 | Superior Court of Washington No. 60010, Statement of
Facts [Part 3 of 3] |
December 10, 1971 |
| 1/24 | 5926-002 | United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals No.
83-3608, 84-4148 Laduke vs Nelson |
March 6, 1985 |
| 1/25 | 5926-002 | United States Eastern district of Washington No.
C-77-356 LaDuke vs Nelson |
June 28, 1984 |
| 1/26 | 5926-002 | "Planning and Conducting a Coordinated Discovery
Program" Washington State Bar News |
January 1, 1981 |
| 1/27 | 5926-002 | Washington vs Fox Case Summary No. 42339 |
May 1, 1973 |
| 1/28 | 5926-002 | United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals No. 83-3870
Ingram v Fentron Building Products |
April April 1984 |
| 1/29 | 5926-002 | Garza v Patnode No. 25255 Facts and
Judgements |
May 5, 1971 |
| 1/30 | 5926-002 | "Call me Juror" New York Times Article |
January 10, 1992 |
| 1/31 | 5926-002 | "My World with Louis Armstrong" by Charles L. Black
Jr |
June 1, 1905 |
| 1/32 | 5926-002 | Court Review Volume 31 Number 3 Fall 1994 |
June 16, 1905 |
| 1/33 | 5926-002 | Letter from Bernard Lang to Governor Gardner about
Michael Fox |
January 8, 1988 |
| 1/34 | 5926-002 | Avalon Project, George Washington Farewell Address
1796 |
November 27, 2000 |
| 1/35 | 5926-002 | Yale Alumni Article, Dave Henderson |
March 1, 1991 |
| 1/36 | 5926-002 | Newspaper Articles About Lupe Gamboa |
November 10, 1968-March 1, 1994 |
| 1/37 | 5926-002 | Bar Bulletin Articles |
November 1, 1991-January 1, 1992 |
| 1/38 | 5926-002 | Washington Journal Judicial Profile of Michael
Fox |
October 24, 1994 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Agricultural laborers--Washington (State)
- Agricultural laborers--Labor unions--Organizing--Washington (State)
- Agricultural laborers--Labor unions--Washington (State)
- Labor disputes--Washington (State)
- Labor movement--Washington (State)
- Labor union members--Washington (State)
- Labor unions--Washington (State)
- Labor--Washington (State)
- Lawyers--Washington (State)--Archives
- Migrant agricultural laborers--Labor unions--Organizing--Washington (State)
- Migrant agricultural laborers--Labor unions--Washington (State)
- Migrant agricultural laborers--Washington (State)
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Fox, Michael J. (Michael James), 1944- --Archives
- Fox, Michael J. (Michael James), 1944- --Trials, litigation, etc
- Gamboa, Guadalupe
- Gamboa, Guadalupe--Trials, litigation, etc
Corporate Names
- United Farm Workers Organizing Committee
- Washington (State)--Trials, litigation, etc
Other Creators
-
Corporate Names
- Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington), host institution (creator)
- Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington)
