Richard B. Ault

Richard B. Ault was born in Bryant, South Dakota on February 19, 1917. Eight years later, he moved with his family to San Diego where he attended public schools. In 1938, he graduated from San Diego State College, where his father Jesse W. Ault was a professor and Dean of Education. During his senior year, he served as president of the Associated Students Body. He did graduate work at the University of California at Berkeley from 1939 to 1940, receiving a master's degree in history and a secondary teaching credential. Following his father's footsteps, he taught six years at Point Loma High School and Dana and Roosevelt Junior High Schools, while attending Balboa Law School (now California Western University Law School) at nights. In 1946, he graduated from law school, was admitted to the State Bar and joined his father-in-law's firm where he would specialize in general trial work and worker's compensation cases. Governor Goodwin Knight appointed him nine years later to the Municipal Court and then elevated him two years later to the San Diego County Superior Court in 1957. At the time of his elevation, he was 40 and the youngest judge ever appointed to the San Diego County Superior Court. He served two years as its Presiding Judge in 1967 and 1968. On December 19, 1969, Governor Ronald Reagan appointed him as an Associate Justice to Division One of the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District. He took the oath of office on January 13, 1970. He retired from the Court on March 31, 1977, returning to the practice of law with his sons in the San Diego firm of Ault, Midlam and Deuprey. He served as alumni president of San Diego State University for several years and also on the Board of Directors at California Western School of Law. He enjoyed writing poetry, penning verse about his court cases, political issues or any matters that he found amusing or interesting. He died on January 10, 2000.