Charles Silent (January 1, 1842[A] – December 14, 1918) was a German-born American jurist who served as an associate justice of the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court.

The marriage lasted till her death in 1870 and produced three children: Edward D., Fred C, and Elizabeth W.[3] Silent left college in 1866 to become Principal of the Santa Clara school district.

[3] He continued his studies and began reading law, earning admission to the California bar in 1868 and an honorary Master of Arts from the University of the Pacific in 1872.

Upon the recommendation of Newton Booth and Aaron A. Sargent, Silent was appointed an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Arizona in February 1878.

The Arizona Territorial Delegate to Congress John G. Campbell used the existence of these business interests in an attempt to have Judge Silent removed from office.

There, as a partner in the legal firm Houghton, Silent, and Campbell, he became "one of the leading attorneys not only of the bar of Los Angeles, but of the state of California".

[8] In 1897, as a means of reducing local unemployment in the city, Silent organized a beautification project for the entrance to Elysian Park.

[10] In 1907, Silent's son Chester died in a hunting accident, to which the former judge responded by largely withdrawing from his legal practice and devoting his time to real estate projects.