Background
Finch, James Austin was born on November 13, 1907 in St. Louis. Son of James Austin and Carrie (Lehman) Finch.
Finch, James Austin was born on November 13, 1907 in St. Louis. Son of James Austin and Carrie (Lehman) Finch.
Student, S.E. Missouri State College, 1925-1927; Bachelor of Arts, Univercity Missouri, 1930; Juris Doctor, U. Missouri, 1932; Doctor of Laws, University Missouri, 1966.
Assistant attorney general, Missouri, 1932;
member firm, Finch, Finch & Knehans (formerly Finch & Finch), Cape Girardeau, 1933-1965;
judge, Supreme Court Missouri, 1965-1978;
chief justice, Supreme Court Missouri, 1971-1973;
prosecuting attorney, Cape Girardeau County, 1941-1942;
Board of directors, National Center for State Court Justices, 1971-1978;
president, National Center for State Court Justices, 1975-1977;
member executive council, Appellate Judges Conference, 1972-1977;
secretary, Appellate Judges Conference, 1974-1977;
president, Missouri Press-Bar Commission, 1979-1980;
chairman, Missouri Supreme Court Committee on Rules, 1980-1982. Member Missouri Citizens Advisory Committee on Higher Education, 1956-1957. Governor's Committee on Education Beyond High School, 1958-1960.
Chairman Governor's Council Higher Education, 1959-1963, Advisory Council Missouri Commission Higher Education, 1963-1964.
Member of the board curators U. Missouri, 1951-1965, president of the board, 1954-1964. Board directors Missouri Law School Foundation, 1952-1964, president, 1958-1959. Chairman Jefferson City Commn.on Environmental Quality, 1981-1987.
Served as major United States Army Air Force, 1942-1945. Fellow American Bar Foundation. Member American Law Institute, American Judicature Society (director 1970-1974), American, Missouri, Cole County, St. Louis bar associations, Missouri History Society, Supreme Court of the Missouri History Society (president 1984-1988), American Legion, Order ofCoif, Institute Judicial Administration, Academy Missouri Squires, Phi Beta Kappa Associates, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Delta Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Delta Sigma Rho, Phi Gamma Delta.
Married Helen E. Carroll, August 28,1937. Children: Gail Carroll, James Austin III, John David.