William F. Fitzgerald - California

California

Fitzgerald moved to Los Angeles, California in early 1886.There he worked briefly with Charles Silent at the legal firm of Silent, Wade, and Fitzgerald before joining the firm of Anderson, Fitzgerald, and Anderson. During this time he was active in the local legal community, helping perform an 1888 reorganization of the Los Angeles Bar Association. Outside his legal career, Fitzgerald served as chairman of the board for the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, director of the California Sewer Pipe Company, and was active in the state Republican party, being elected chairman of the party's central committee in 1892.

In 1891, Fitzgerald became a Supreme Court Commissioner. He held the position until his resignation in May 1892 when he joined the San Francisco legal firm of Estes, Fitzgerald, & Miller. On February 2, 1893, Governor Henry Markham appointed Fitzgerald to fill the seat on the California Supreme Court left empty by the death of Justice John R. Sharpstein. During the two years he served on the court, Fitzgerald authored thirty-two opinions.

Instead of running for reelection to the California Supreme Court, Fitzgerald became the Republican nominee for California Attorney General in 1884.He won the election and began a four-year term on January 7, 1895. As his term was set to expire, Fitzgerald lost a close race for San Francisco city attorney.When he left office, Fitzgerald returned to his legal practice in San Francisco.

In late 1899, Governor Henry Gage appointed Fitzgerald to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County to fulfill the remaining term of a deceased judge. He held the position for two years, failing to win renomination or the 1902 elections. In April 1903, Fitzgerald traveled to Butte, Montana to visit his daughter and son-in-law.There, on May 12, 1903, he died of heart failure. Fitzgerald was buried in Butte's Holy Cross Cemetery.