Background
Norris, William Albert was born on August 30, 1927 in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of George and Florence (Clive) Norris.
Norris, William Albert was born on August 30, 1927 in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of George and Florence (Clive) Norris.
Student, University Wisconsin, 1945;Bachelor of Arts, Princeton University, 1951;Juris Doctor, Stanford University, 1954.
Norris was nominated for the position by Jimmy Carter on February 27, 1980 after the seat which Walter Raleigh Ely, Jr. had occupied became vacant. After being confirmed by the senate in June, 1980, he received his commission on June 18, 1980. He assumed senior status on July 7, 1994, and then retired, and his service terminated, on October 24, 1997.
Norris received most of his education during his adolescent years at Princeton University, only moving in 1954 to study at Stanford Law School. Norris had served in the United States Navy between 1945 and 1947, as well as being hired as a private law clerk, among other jobs at different times. Judge Norris is known for his 1989 concurring opinion in Watkins v.
U.S. Army, a case challenging the Army's policy of refusing to allow openly gay members. Judge Norris' view in that case, that sexual orientation is a suspect classification deserving of heightened scrutiny under the Constitution's Equal Protection clause, did not carry the day. But it has proven influential in many state court and lower federal court opinions striking down bans on gay marriage in the 2000s and 2010s.
Trustee California State Colls., 1967-1972. President Los Angeles Board Police Commissioners, 1973-1974. Democratic nominee for attorney general State of California, 1974.
Founding president of the board of trustees Museum Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, since 1979. Trustee Craft and Folk Art Museum, since 1979. With United States Navy, 1945-1947.
Married Merry Wright, November 23, 1974. Children: Barbara, Donald, Kim, Alison. Married Jane Jelenko.