| Robert W. Clifford | |
| Office: | Associate Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court |
| Termstart: | August 1, 1986 |
| Termend: | August 31, 2009 |
| Appointer: | Joseph E. Brennan |
| Predecessor: | Elmer H. Violette |
| Successor: | Joseph Jabar |
| Office1: | Chief Justice of the Maine Superior Court |
| Term Start1: | 1984 |
| Term End1: | August 1, 1986 |
| Office2: | Justice of the Maine Superior Court |
| Term Start2: | June 8, 1979 |
| Term End2: | 1984 |
| Appointer2: | Joseph E. Brennan |
| State Senate3: | Maine |
| District3: | 13th |
| Term Start3: | January 3, 1973 |
| Term End3: | January 5, 1977 |
| Predecessor3: | William H. Clifford Jr. |
| Successor3: | Thomas M. Mangan |
| Office4: | Mayor of Lewiston |
| Term Start4: | January 1971 |
| Term End4: | January 1973 |
| Predecessor4: | John B. Beliveau[1] |
| Successor4: | John C. Orestis |
| Office5: | Member of the Lewiston Board of Aldermen |
| Term Start5: | January 1968 |
| Term End5: | January 1970 President: 1969 |
| Birth Name: | Robert William Clifford |
| Birth Date: | 2 May 1937 |
| Birth Place: | Lewiston, Maine, U.S. |
| Spouse: | Clementina |
| Children: | 2 |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Education: | Bowdoin College (AB) Boston College (JD) University of Virginia (LLM) |
| Branch: | United States Army |
| Rank: | Captain |
| Serviceyears: | 1962-1964 |
| Unit: | U.S. Seventh Army |
Robert William Clifford[2] (born May 2, 1937) is an American politician, lawyer and retired associate justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. He was appointed to this position on August 1, 1986 by then-governor Joseph Brennan. He was reappointed to seven-year terms in 1993, 2000, and 2007. He retired in 2009.[3]
Clifford grew up in Lewiston, Maine and graduated from Lewiston High School in 1955. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1959, and earned a J.D. degree from Boston College Law School in 1962. He then served in the United States Army from 1962 to 1964 with the U.S. Seventh Army in Germany,[4] attaining the rank of captain. In 1998, he earned an LLM in Judicial Process from the University of Virginia School of Law.[5]
Upon leaving the armed forces, Clifford practiced law in Lewiston-Auburn for fifteen years with the firm Clifford & Clifford. He was also an alderman and a two-time mayor in this city.
During his legislative tenure, he represented the senate on the Commission to Revise Maine's Probate Laws, which drafted Maine's current Probate Code. In 1978 and 1979 he was the Chairman of the Lewiston Charter Commission, which drafted Lewiston's current city charter.
On June 8, 1979, former Governor Joseph Brennan appointed Clifford to the state's Superior Court. Another appointment by Chief Justice Vincent L. McKusick made Clifford the first chief justice of the Maine Superior Court in 1984, a position he would hold until his appointment to the Supreme Judicial Court on August 1, 1986 by Governor Brennan.
Justice Clifford served as the Court's liaison to the Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure, and to the Maine Assistance Program. He also served as an adviser to the Criminal Law Advisory Commission.[6]
Prior to his judicial service, Clifford worked in the state's senate during the 106th and 107th Legislatures as a Democrat.
His wife is Clementina whom he married in 1964 and they have two children.
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