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Davies, II, John Thomas "Jack"

Senate 1959-62 (District 31); Senate 1963-72 (District 42); Senate 1973-82 (District 60)

Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

Counties Served:  Hennepin

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 1/6/1932
Birth Place: Harvey, North Dakota
Birth County:
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death:
Gender: Male
Religion:
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names: Jack
City of Residence (when first elected): Minneapolis
Occupation (when first elected): Law School Student, University of Minnesota/Former Sports Editor on KSTP-TV

EDUCATION

Greenway High School; Secondary; Graduate
Itasca Junior College; Junior College/Community College; Graduate
University of Minnesota; B.A.; Journalism, Magna Cum Laude, 1954
University of Minnesota, Law School; LL.B.; Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, 1960

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Military: United States Army (Korea and Japan); 195? to 19??
State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Commission on Uniform State Laws; 1966 to 19??
State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Constitutional Study Commission; 1971 to 19??
Judge: Minnesota Court of Appeals (First Appointed, Then Elected); 07/01/1990 to 09/01/2000 [Appointed]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Janet Tripp (first listed in 1963); Patricia "Pat" (first listed in 1969)
Children: Three children: Elizabeth (daughter); Ted Elliot, and John Thomas III (sons)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: law reform, criminal law, commerce.

He was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

He was the youngest Senator in the 62nd legislative session (Minneapolis Star, 1959).

Total Days Served: 8764

SESSIONS SERVED

72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 60
Elected: 11/4/1980
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Law Teacher; Professor, William Mitchell College of Law
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Commerce
  • Commerce: Insurance (Chair)
  • Judiciary (Chair)
  • Judiciary: Judicial Administration
  • Judiciary: Law Revision
  • Local Government and Urban Affairs
  • Rules and Administration
  • Rules and Administration: Bill Referral (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration: Bill Scheduling
  • Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules (Chair)
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Taxes and Tax Laws: Government Development Finance Tax
  • Taxes and Tax Laws: Income Tax
Leadership Position: President of the Senate

71st Legislative Session (1979-1980) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 60
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Law Teacher/Professor, William Mitchell College of Law
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Commerce
  • Commerce: Insurance (Chair)
  • Judiciary (Chair)
  • Judiciary: Criminal Law (Chair) [He was the Chair in 1980 only.]
  • Rules and Administration
  • Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration: Referrals (Rule 35)
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Taxes and Tax Laws: Inheritance, Estates and Trusts

70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 60
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Law Teacher, Professor; William Mitchell College of Law
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Commerce
  • Commerce: Insurance (Chair)
  • Judiciary (Chair)
  • Judiciary: Criminal Law (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration
  • Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration: Referral (Rule 35)
  • Taxes and Tax Laws

69th Legislative Session (1975-1976) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 60
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Professor, William Mitchell College of Law
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
Committees:
  • Committees (Chair)
  • Finance
  • Finance: Education (Chair)
  • Finance: State Departments I
  • Judiciary (Chair)
  • Judiciary: Criminal Law and Corrections (Chair)
  • Judiciary: Private Law Reform
  • Labor and Commerce
  • Labor and Commerce: Commerce and Insurance
  • Rules and Administration
  • Rules and Administration: Constitutional Amendments (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration: Permanent Rules (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration: Revisor's

68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 60
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Professor, William Mitchell College of Law
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
Committees:
  • Committees (Chair)
  • Finance
  • Finance: Administrative State Departments
  • Finance: Education (Chair)
  • Judiciary (Chair)
  • Judiciary: Judiciary (Chair)
  • Judiciary: Law Reform (Chair)
  • Labor and Commerce
  • Labor and Commerce: Commerce and Insurance
  • Rules and Administration
  • Rules and Administration: Interim Commissions (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration: Permanent Rules

67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 42
Elected: 11/3/1970
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/5/1971 to 1/1/1973
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Professor, William Mitchell College of Law
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration
  • Commerce and Insurance
  • Finance
  • Judiciary
  • Urban Affairs

66th Legislative Session (1969-1970) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 42
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/4/1971
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Professor, William Mitchell College of Law
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs
  • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs: Metropolitan Problems Division
  • Commerce
  • Finance
  • Judiciary
  • Local Government

65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 42
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/4/1971
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Professor, William Mitchell College of Law
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs
  • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs: Metropolitan Problems Division
  • Commerce
  • Finance
  • Game and Fish
  • Judiciary
  • Local Government

64th Legislative Session (1965-1966) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 42
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/2/1967
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Lawyer; Firm of Fine, Simon and Schneider
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Cities of the First Class
  • Civil Administration
  • Commerce
  • Finance
  • Judiciary
  • Towns and Counties

63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 42
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/2/1967
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Lawyer; Firm of Fine, Simon and Schneider
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Cities of the First Class
  • Civil Administration
  • Commerce
  • Finance
  • Judiciary
  • Towns and Counties

62nd Legislative Session (1961-1962) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/4/1958
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/6/1959 to 1/7/1963
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Lawyer
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration
  • Commerce
  • Judiciary
  • Local Government

61st Legislative Session (1959-1960)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/4/1958
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/6/1959 to 1/7/1963
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Law School Student, University of Minnesota/Former Sports Editor on KSTP-TV
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration
  • Commerce
  • Local Government
Articles & Books By
Davies, Jack. Legislative Law and Process in a Nutshell. St. Paul, Minn.: West, 1986.


Archive Collections
Jack Davies Papers, 1967-1982 - Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections.
Jack Davies Papers, 1983, 1990-2000 - Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections.

The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.