JAMES FRANCIS HEWITT

James Francis Hewitt James was a 4th of July baby who in 1929 increased the population of Portsmouth, Virginia by one. A favorite joke of his was that the whole country celebrated his birthday with fireworks and fun. He died peacefully on November 4th, 2010 with his family in attendance. He leaves his wife, Nadine; daughters Maggie, Helen, Nancy; and son, Edward (Susan). After finishing law school at the University of Richmond, Jim moved to California. Before becoming an Assistant US Attorney for the Ninth District of Northern California, he was a legal assistant for the Alameda County Welfare Commission and an attorney with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. He left the U.S. Attorney's office in 1965 to become the Attorney-in-charge of a Grant Pilot Project for Defender Services. At that time, there was a congressional interest in defender programs for indigents. Hearings were being held and Jim's testimony before Congress was helpful in establishing the federal Public Defender system. In 1971 he became the first Federal Public Defender for the Ninth District of Northern California and held this position until his retirement in 1987. A Memorial Service is being planned.