[5] In November 1890, Shurtleff was appointed as Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of California.
[7] Of his former law partners, Waldo moved to New York, and Whitworth died, leaving Shurtleff to continue his practice with Robert B. Gaylord until 1909, and then with Joseph G.
[8] On July 1, 1921, Shurtleff was appointed by Governor William Stephens to a seat of the Supreme Court of California vacated by the resignation of Associate Justice Warren Olney Jr.[9][10] When first offered appointment to the state supreme court, Shurtleff, who was noted for his loyalty to his employees, initially declined because it would cause him to abandon his secretary, who had served him faithfully for many years.
The Chief Justice prevailed on Shurtleff by permitting him to bring his secretary to work at the court.
[3] In November 1922, he ran for the remainder of Olney's unexpired term, but lost the election.