Charles Crowder

Charles Crowder

Charles Rogers Crowder (born August 13, 1937 in Morris – died January 15, 2010) was a former Jefferson County Circuit Court judge.

Crowder, the son of Charles H. and Leitha Crowder, graduated from Phillips High School in Birmingham. He earned his bachelor's degree at Auburn University in 1959 then completed his law degree at the University of Alabama School of Law in 1962. He served as clerk for Circuit Court Judge Walter Gewin before going into private practice. He was appointed a judge himself by Governor George Wallace in 1973.

Crowder tried criminal cases in the 10th Judicial Circuit of Alabama until 1984 when he transferred to the civil bench. He was presiding judge for a year before his retirement in 1992. Subsequently he joined the firm of Johnson & Cory, which became Cory, Watson, Crowder & DeGaris when he was made a partner.

Among Crowder's high-profile judicial decisions were J. B. Stoner's 1980 trial for the 1958 bombing of Bethel Baptist Church and a $1 million civil suit awarded to Cleopatra Haslip after she was defrauded by an insurance agent.

Outside of his practice, Crowder was a long-time member of Canterbury United Methodist Church, Potentate of the Zamora Shrine Temple, and a football and baseball coach for the Hoover Athletics Youth Program.

Crowder died in 2010. He was survived by his wife, Sherry, five children and four grandchildren. He is buried at the Morris Cemetery in Morris.

References

• Gray, Jeremy (January 15, 2010) "Former Jefferson County Judge Charles R. Crowder dead at 72." Birmingham News
• "Charles Rogers Crowder" obituary (January 16, 2010) Birmingham News