James A. Cobey

James Alexander Cobey was born on October 3, 1913, in Frostburg, Maryland, and passed away on December 27, 1993, in Pasadena, California.

In terms of his education, Cobey earned a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Yale University in 1938. In the same year, he also completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Yale School of Law and Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. Prior to this, he attended Harvard Business School from 1935 to 1936 and received his Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) from Princeton University in 1934. He was admitted to the State Bar in 1947.

Cobey's judicial experience includes serving as an Associate Justice for the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division 3. He held this position from December 19, 1966, to December 31, 1981, after being appointed by Governor Brown.

Before his judicial appointment, Cobey had a diverse professional background. He served as a State Senator for the 24th District from 1955 to 1966. He also had a private practice in Merced from 1949 to 1966. In 1948, he was a member of the Loyola University Law Faculty in Los Angeles, California, and served as the Deputy L.A. County Counsel. From 1946 to 1948, he was the Chief Research Attorney for the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division 3. He also worked as a Senior Attorney for the National Labor Relations Board from 1938 to 1941 in Washington, D.C., and in Los Angeles in 1946. During World War II, he served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1946.

After retiring on December 31, 1981, Cobey continued to contribute to the field of law by teaching at Southwestern University in Los Angeles.