They had arrived in 1864 after traveling on the Oregon Trail from Iowa as members of the Pella Company wagon train that included the family of Wyatt Earp.

Curtis's father was a teacher and lawyer who helped found the San Bernardino County Bar Association in 1875.

[13][14] Among Curtis's notable cases were a pair of contempt citations for commenting on judicial proceedings: the first against longshoremen union leader Harry Bridges, and the second against the Los Angeles Times.

[18] After retiring from the Supreme Court in 1945, Curtis returned to private practice with his son in San Bernardino.

[19] In 1934, Curtis was awarded the Asa Call alumnus achievement trophy by the University of Southern California.