In 1936, he graduated from the University of Washington, and was made a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
[1] He served as the first full term clerk for Justice William O. Douglas of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1939 to 1940.
[1] In 1971, he oversaw the grand jury led by prosecutors Chris Bayley and Evan Schwab investigating police payoffs,[5][6] and helped lead an investigation into poor conditions at the King County Jail, which resulted in a report recommending reforms.
[7] Drawing on his years as a trial lawyer, also in 1971 he published pattern jury instructions for use in civil cases.
"[9][10] He was married twice, and had one daughter, Diana Crittenden, and four sons, Stephen, Douglas, David and Carl.