Hon. James Leigh Richmond

RICHMOND, Hon. James Leigh, died September 22, 2008 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was born September 13, 1923 in Dobbs Ferry, New York. He attended schools in New York, Chicago and Claremont, CA. Following service in the Army Air Force from 1941 until 1945 he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with honors from Pomona College in Claremont, CA in 1947 with a B.A. in English. He taught English and journalism at Oxnard, CA high school and followed a career for several years in sports public relations at California and Colorado race tracks. He attended the University of Arizona College of Law where he graduated with honors in 1958. He then joined the Tucson law firm of Chandler, Tullar, Udall and Richmond where he worked in personal injury defense and commercial litigation. In 1976 he was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division Two, and served as chief judge from 1978 until 1980. He retired from the bench in 1980 to accept a position as senior attorney for the Navajo DNA Legal Services at Window Rock, Arizona. He then joined the University of Arizona legal department, serving as counsel to the president from 1984 to 1988. After retiring to Rowe, New Mexico in 1988 he spent much of his time as a member of the NCAA Sanctions Committee from 1991 to 1997. He followed a life-long interest in sports, particularly thorough-bred horse racing and published several articles and short stories in racing publications early in his career. He is survived by his sons, John (Portales, NM), Samuel (Vancouver, BC), Mahlon (Portland, OR); their mother, Peggy Richmond (Tucson, AZ); his former wife, Judith Henry, (Santa Fe, NM); and step-daughter, Amanda Perez (San Diego, CA). A celebration of his life was held in Santa Fe. Remembrances may be sent to Presbyterian Medical Center Hospice Services, 1400 Champa Blvd, Santa Fe, New Mexico 85705.