Spencer A. Gard
Judge, legislator and legal scholar. Born 1898. Died 1991.
After graduation from Iola High School in 1917 Judge Gard attended the University of Kansas School of Law. A college degree was not then required to attend law school. After graduation in 1922 he practiced law, served as the Allen County Attorney and was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives and Senate. He became a district judge in Allen County and in 1947 was appointed to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. He served as chair of the special committee which drafted the proposed Uniform Rules of Evidence which were adopted in 1953 by the Conference.
In 1962 and 1963 he served as chair of the special committee of the Kansas Judicial Council which drafted a new code of civil procedure for use in civil law suits, which became effective in Kansas in 1964. He then wrote, “Gard on Civil Procedure for Kansas,” which was the definitive work on the subject. He was selected to be the editor of the respected legal treatise, “Jones on Evidence.” The recognition of his skills as an expert in evidence and civil procedure led him to be asked to write reference books on the laws of evidence for the states of Illinois, Florida and Missouri. He received awards for his writings, including the 1991 Kansas Supreme Court Justice Award for his efforts to improve the administration of justice in Kansas.
Entry: Gard, Spencer A.
Author: G. Joseph Pierron
Author information: Judge Pierron serves on the Kansas Court of Appeals and has an interest in Kansas history.
Date Created: March 2012
Date Modified: March 2012
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
