Ben Lindsey (jurist)
| Benjamin Barr Lindsey | |
|---|---|
Lindsey in 1913
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| Born |
November 25, 1869 Jackson, Tennessee |
| Died | March 26, 1943 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California |
| Cause of death | heart attack |
| Occupation | Judge, social reformist, actor |
Benjamin Barr Lindsey (November 25, 1869 – March 26, 1943) was an American judge and social reformer based in Denver, Colorado during the Progressive Era.
Benjamin Barr Lindsey was born in Jackson, Tennessee on November 25, 1869, to a former confederate captain. He was educated in the public schools and attended Southwest Baptist University. His father, Landy Tunstall Lindsey, committed suicide when Ben was 18, leaving him the sole support of his mother and her three younger children. He obtained employment in a real-estate office in Denver, Colorado, where he studied law in his spare time. In despair over his slow progress in his law studies, he attempted suicide, but his gun misfired. In 1894, he entered the practice of law in Denver. In his work, he was often assisted by his wife Henrietta, whom he had married in 1914. He was appointed to a vacancy in the county court in 1900.
Lindsey was a pioneer in the establishment of the juvenile court system. Through his efforts, an act was passed creating a juvenile court in Denver which represented an important advance in relation of the law to children and would go on to serve as a model for future juvenile courts across America. Lindsey was made judge of the juvenile court in 1901 (which later became a juvenile and family relations court in 1907). He held the position continuously, but he was not endorsed by either political party in 1908. Under his administration, the juvenile court of Denver became famous throughout the civilized world.
Among other measures to which Judge Lindsey contributed his influence were a reform of the registration law, greatly reducing election frauds; a reform of the ballot; state provisions for the support of the dependents of people serving in prison; extension of the probation system for prisoners; organization of public baths and playgrounds in Denver; the institution of the fresh-air movement in Denver; and enactment of statewide Mother's Pension Law.
He was a leader in the movement to abolish child labor. He carried on an active propaganda for the general adoption of the juvenile court plan, and for political and social reform, through lectures delivered in many American and foreign cities and through the publication of books and pamphlets, of which The Beast (with Harvey J. O'Higgins, 1910) was widely circulated. In 1906, Judge Lindsey was a candidate for Governor of Colorado, and in 1912 became a member of the Progressive National Committee.
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