Charles Britton Fulton (1910-1996) was born in Nevada and moved to Lake Worth with his family in 1924. His mother, Lillian Britton Fulton, was pastor of the First Congregational Church of Lake Worth for 15 years, the first Christian woman ordained in Florida, and the first woman in the U. S. to receive a Doctor of Divinity.
After graduating from Lake Worth High School in 1928, Fulton taught English and history at Forest Hill High School to save money for law school. He received his law degree from the University of Florida in 1935 and entered private practice in Palm Beach County. Fulton was president of both the Palm Beach County and Florida bar associations. Fulton married Imogene Carmichael (1912-1997), a graduate of Florida State College for Women and the Julliard School of Music, who taught music in Palm Beach County public schools.
President John F. Kennedy appointed Fulton in 1963 to chief judge of the Southern District of Florida. Although the position required considerable time on administrative duties, Fulton still handled a full caseload. If Fort Pierce and Palm Beach County cases did not fill his schedule, he traveled to Miami to make up the rest. A twelve-hour workday was routine, as was a full briefcase to take home. “Judgin’ is real hard work,” Fulton said in 1976. He found sentencing especially difficult, in an era without guidelines. In 1978 Fulton retired from his position but was awarded senior judge status with a lighter caseload.