Background
Hudgins, Edward Wren was born on January 17, 1882 in Buckingham County, Virginia, United States. Son of Robert Henry and Lucy J. (Wren) Hudgins.
Hudgins, Edward Wren was born on January 17, 1882 in Buckingham County, Virginia, United States. Son of Robert Henry and Lucy J. (Wren) Hudgins.
Bachelor of Arts, Richmond College, 1905, Bachelor of Laws, 1908. Doctor of Laws, University of Richmond, 1948.
He received his education from private tutors and public schools of his home county. At seventeen, he went to Richmond to go to college. He entered Richmond College (now University of Richmond) graduating in 1905 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Foreign the next year, he was the principal of a public high school and, in the fall of 1906, he entered Therapeutic Community Williams Law School at Richmond College, receiving his law degree in 1908.
In order to supplement his funds while attending law school, he taught Latin in Mission Ellett’s School in Richmond (now Street Catherine’s). In 1908, Judge Hudgins began his practice in Chase City, Mecklenburg County, and, in 1916, was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates from that county, serving until 1920.
He was elected judge of the Thirty-Fourth Judicial Circuit in 1926. Just four years later, on January 17, 1930, he was elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals, the membership of the court being increased at that time from five to seven justices.
Seventeen years later, in 1947, he became Chief Justice and served on the court until his death.
Justice Hudgins was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Alpha Delta.