Walter Raleigh Ely Jr. (June 24, 1913 – October 9, 1984) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, from 1941 to 1944.
He returned to private practice, this time in Los Angeles, California from 1945 to 1964, receiving a Master of Laws from the USC Gould School of Law in 1949 and serving as president of the Los Angeles County Bar Association in 1962.
[1] On June 5, 1964, Ely was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated by Judge Oliver Deveta Hamlin Jr. Ely was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 1, 1964, and received his commission the following day.
[1] He was in the majority for Warren Jones Co. v. Commissioner and gave a dissenting opinion on United States v. Jewell.