Background
Dethmers, John R. was born on October 15, 1903 in Plessis, Iowa, United States. Son of Roy P. and Agnes (DeRoos) Dethmers.
Dethmers, John R. was born on October 15, 1903 in Plessis, Iowa, United States. Son of Roy P. and Agnes (DeRoos) Dethmers.
Student Northwestern Classical Academy, Orange City, Iowa, 1917-1921. Hope College, Holland, Michigan, 1921-1924, Doctor of Laws, 1954. Bachelor of Laws, University of Michigan, 1927, Doctor of Laws, 1959.
Juris Doctor, Detroit College Law, 1947, Doctor of Laws, 1967.
He resided in Orange City, Iowa, Holland, Michigan, and East Lansing, Michigan. He enrolled at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, then went on to the University of Michigan Law School and began to practice law in 1927. He was Ottawa County Prosecuting Attorney from 1931-1938.
Dethmers served as Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party from 1942–1945 and was a delegate to the 1944 Republican National Convention.
He served as Michigan Attorney General from 1945-1946. Governor Harry Kelly appointed Dethmers Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, serving from 1946–1970 and serving as Chief Justice of the Michigan State Supreme Court in 1953, 1956–1962, and 1967-1969.
He was defeated in 1970. Dethmers died in Lansing.
Member American Bar Association (vice chairman of the section judicial administration 1959-1963), American Judicature Society (Chairman of the Board 1961-1963), National Conference Chief Justices (chairman 1957-1958), Scribes, Delta Theta Phi. Mason, Rotarian.
Married Aleen DeJong, April 4, 1931. Children: John Robert, David Conrad, Marjorie Aleen.
