Presiding Justice J. Clarence Herlihy was born in Glens Falls on October 1, 1905. He was graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in Glens Falls in 1923, from Georgetown University in 1928, and from Albany Law School in 1930, the same year he was admitted to the Bar. Presiding Justice Herlihy became associated with the law firm of Leary and Fullerton in Saratoga Springs and thereafter opened his own law firm in Glens Falls in 1933 (later Herlihy & Metzner) and had an extensive trial practice. He served as city attorney of Glens Falls from 1938 to 1940 and was elected District Attorney of Warren County in 1942, a post he held for 13 years until his election to the Supreme Court on November 8, 1955. He was first appointed an associate justice of the Appellate Division, Third Department, by Gov. Harriman, on March 15, 1958, and reappointed in 1963 and again in 1968 by Gov. Rockefeller. He was appointed Presiding Justice by Gov. Rockefeller on September 25, 1969, to succeed Presiding Justice Gibson and was redesignated Presiding Justice by the Governor on January 1, 1970, and served as Presiding Justice until he reached the statutory retirement age. In 1976, Presiding Justice Herlihy was certified to continue as a Supreme Court Justice and at the same time was redesignated an additional justice of the Appellate Division, and continued in that capacity until mandatory retirement in 1982. Presiding Justice Herlihy died on February 28, 1985.
J. Clarence Herlihy
