The Supreme Court Papers of Arthur J. Goldberg

In the fall of 1996 the Law School received many of the Supreme Court papers of Arthur J. Goldberg (B.A. '29, LL.B. '30). The papers, the bulk of which cover the three-year period (1962-1965) Goldberg served on the Court until his appointment as United States Ambassador to the United Nations, include records of his opinions as well as other comments, notes, and correspondence by him and the other justices.

The papers were presented to the School of Law during orientation for new students by his son, Washington attorney Robert Goldberg. Through the papers scholars and students can get an intimate glimpse into the inner workings of the Supreme Court as well as the mind of an unabashed liberal who has left an indelible mark on this nation's legal history.

	"This is a time when the Warren Court absolutely got into high gear," said Goldberg. "And these papers will offer Northwestern students a rare opportunity to see the Supreme Court in process and to see the opinion drafts as they circulated and the handwritten comments by the other justices." In a time when the use of computers and mass photocopying result in quick editing and dissemination of court opinions, Goldberg said these papers provide an insight into the evolution of unfinished documents into the highest laws of the land.
Goldberg said the donation of the papers to Northwestern University School of Law reflects his father's fondness for Northwestern as well as for young people beginning their legal careers. "My father was a man of great integrity and felt strongly that the law is an honorable profession," said Goldberg. "He always took great pleasure in working with students." Digitization of selected papers from the Goldberg Archives was made possible through a grant from the Illinois State Library.