Erskine Mayo Ross

Biography

Erskine Mayo Ross devoted decades to the law, serving as a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California and later on the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where he gained respect for his fair-minded rulings and thoughtful opinions. A veteran of the Civil War, he brought a steady hand to the bench and to the wider legal community during a time of rapid growth for Los Angeles.

He was also a philanthropist who sought to uplift the city through education and civic improvement, leaving behind lasting contributions to the institutions that nurtured future leaders of California's judiciary.