Erich Schultz-Ewerth entered the judicial service of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1892 and passed the major state examination in 1897.

After joining the Colonial Department of the Foreign Office in 1898, he traveled to German East Africa at the end of the year, where he served as a district judge.

After a brief return to the judiciary, he was transferred at his own request back to the Colonial Department on 22 December 1899, and was appointed as a district judge to German Samoa in 1901, and eventually appointed the Imperial Chief Judge in 1910.

He was appointed as Solf's permanent successor on 19 June 1912, and continued to hold the position of Imperial Chief Judge as well.

A book by Mut and German Art, Kribe-Verlag, Berlin 1929, Allerleirauh, Bioletta and A Girl Experiences the Revolution.