Career
Born in Kentucky, Cope came to California in 1850 and tried mining, but found little success. In 1853 he resumed work as an attorney, first in El Dorado County and the next year in Jackson, Amador County. He was elected to the state legislature in 1858.
In June 1859 he was nominated by Alvinza Hayward, also of Amador County, to be the candidate of the Democratic Lecompton Party for associate justice of the Supreme Court of California.
In September 1859, he was elected, but before his term was to begin he was appointed by the governor to fill a vacancy on the court. He became Chief Justice in 1863 after President Abraham Lincoln appointed Stephen J. Field to the United States. Supreme Court.
Cope himself left the court at the end of that year. After leaving the court, Cope returned to private practice until about 1893, at which point he retired to Contra Costa County, where he raised nuts and fruit.
He was president of the San Francisco Bar Association from 1880 to 1885.
He died in San Francisco
Like his father, he also served as president of the San Francisco Bar Association, from 1906-1909.
