Cage 176 Guide to the Robert C. Finley Papers 1951-1976 Finley (Robert C.) Papers Finding aid prepared by Stephen E. Balzarini and Patricia M. Gourd Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections © 2012
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/ mascref@wsu.edu
Finding aid encoded by Mark O'English 2003 Finding aid written in English. Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/ mascref@wsu.edu
Cage 176 Finley, Robert C. Robert C. Finley Papers 1951-1976 3 containers. 1.5 linear feet of shelf space. 440 items. Speeches, publications, newspaper clippings, biographical material and some photographs. Collection materials are in English

Robert Corpening Finley was born in Marion, North Carolina on November 7, 1905. He attended public schools in Asheville, North Carolina and graduated from high school in 1923. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Duke University in 1930 and his law degree from the same school in 1934. While working for the federal government in Washington, D.C., he attended Georgetown University and received his Master of Laws degree in 1936. Finley worked for a number of federal agencies in the Roosevelt "New Deal" administration: Federal Housing Administration, 1934-1935; Alcohol Control Administration, 1935-1937; Department of Justice, probation officer for U. S. District Court, Bureau of Prisons, Western District of North Carolina, 1937-1938; and, Department of Justice, Alien Property, Custodian and Claims Division, 1938-1940. In 1940 Finley moved to Olympia to take a position as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington. He served in that position until 1942. He continued to serve the state of Washington in various capacities until 1945 when he entered private law practice in Seattle and Renton. In the fall of 1950 Finley was elected to the Washington State Supreme Court. While on the Court he served as Chief Justice from 1961 to 1962 and again from 1967 to 1968. He was a possible nominee to the U. S. Supreme Court in 1963 and from 1967 to 1970. Judge Finley served on the high court of Washington until his death on March 23, 1976.

The papers of Robert C. Finley include speeches, publications, newspaper clippings, biographical material, photographs, and correspondence. The biographical information contained in the first folder includes a life history in the form of the Judge's personal resume as well as a complete listing of publications, awards, and organizations through 1973.

The bulk of the collection consists of speeches made by Judge Finley between 1951 and 1973. These speeches are arranged chronologically. Some of the speeches were published and also appear among the journal, magazine and newspaper articles. Public documents include material relating to the public disclosure law and also to the Judge's testimony in April of 1967 before a Senate sub-committee on improvements in the judicial machinery. The corespondence in this collection concerns Finley's possible appointment to the U. S. Supreme Court.

This collection is open for research use.

[Item Description]. Cage 176, Robert C. Finley Papers. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

The papers of Robert C. Finley were donated to the Washington State University Libraries in January 1977 by Mrs. Robert C. Finley (MS77-2) and an additional accession was received in September 1978 (MS78-39).

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Finley, Robert Corpening --Archives Finley, Robert Corpening Mrs. waps Washington (State). Supreme Court Judges--Washington (State)--Biography Government and Politics Washington (State)

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

1 1 Biographical Information 13 items. 1 2 Correspondence 7 items. 1 3 Public Official Disclosure Act, Draft Material 1973 35 items. 1 4 Public Disclosure Initiative 276, Copies of Filings 9 items. 1 5 Journal Publications 10 items. 1 6 Testimony and Statement Before Senate Sub-committee on Improvements in Judicial Machinery April 21, 1967 2 items. 1 7 Magazine Articles 1969 3 items. 1 8 The North Carolina Bar Magazine 1959 4 items. 1 9 Newspaper Clippings 48 items. 1 10 Pamphlets and Congressional Record (Senate) February 20, 1967 3 items. 1 11 Photographs: Washington State Supreme Court Justices 4 items. 1 12 Photographs: Tokyo Judicial Building 10 items. 2 13 Speeches 1950 6 items. 2 14 Speeches 1960-1962 8 items. 2 15 Speeches 1964-1966 7 items. 2 16 Speeches 1967-1968 7 items. 2 17 Speeches 1970-1973 3 items. 2 18 Speeches undated 12 items. 3 19 U. S. Supreme Court 1963-1964 150 items. 3 20 U. S. Supreme Court 1967 100 items. 3 21 U. S. Supreme Court (Fortas Vacancy) 1962-1970 100 items.