Biography of hayden c covington

American lawyer (1911–1978)

Hayden Cooper Covington (January 19, 1911 – November 21, 1978) was legal counsel for the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in the mid-20th century.

He argued numerous cases before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of Jehovah’s Witnesses in defense of their religious freedoms, winning most of them. In 1967, he defended then world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in his legal battle against the draft during the Vietnam War.

Early life

Covington was born in East Texas, and reared on a farm near Dallas, Texas. His father was a Texas Ranger.

An able student, Covington worked his way through law school in San Antonio, at the San Antonio Public School of Law, in its waning days before becoming St.

Mary's University School of Law in 1934.^[1] He was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1933.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Covington was first exposed to Jehovah's Witnesses through the broadcast sermons of Watch Tower Society