E. Barrett Prettyman
Encyclopedia
Elijah Barrett Prettyman (August 23, 1891 – August 4, 1971) was a United States
federal judge
.
Prettyman was born in Lexington
, Virginia
. Educated at Randolph-Macon College
, he received a Bachelor of Arts
in 1910 and a Master of Arts
in 1911. He then earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law School
in 1915. Prettyman began practicing law in Hopewell
, Virginia in 1915. After serving as a captain in the United States Army
during World War I
, he spent the next 35 years either in private practice
, working as a corporation counsel
, or working for the U.S. Bureau of Internal Revenue
(IRS). In particular, he was a special prosecutor
for the IRS both in Washington, D.C.
and New York City
from 1919 to 1920, and later general counsel
to the IRS from 1933 to 1934.
On September 12, 1945, President
Harry S. Truman
appointed Prettyman to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
to fill the seat vacated by Judge Justin Miller
. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on September 24, and received his commission on September 28. From 1958 to 1960, he served as Chief Judge of the court. He assumed senior status
on April 16, 1962, but remained a senior judge until his death in 1971.
In March 1997, the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse was named in his honor. Years earlier, Prettyman had advocated the installment of the triangular 24-foot high monument, Trylon of Freedom, in front of the courthouse. Sculpted by Carl Paul Jennewein
in 1954, the monument features excerpts and scenes from the nation’s founding documents.
Prettyman Road in Rockville
was also named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
federal judge
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
.
Prettyman was born in Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Educated at Randolph-Macon College
Randolph-Macon College
Randolph–Macon College is a private, co-educational liberal arts college located in Ashland, Virginia, United States, near the capital city of Richmond. Founded in 1830, the school has an enrollment of over 1,200 students...
, he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1910 and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1911. He then earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law School
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
in 1915. Prettyman began practicing law in Hopewell
Hopewell, Virginia
Hopewell is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 22,591 at the 2010 Census . It is in Tri-Cities area of the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Virginia in 1915. After serving as a captain in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he spent the next 35 years either in private practice
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
, working as a corporation counsel
Counsel
A counsel or a counselor gives advice, more particularly in legal matters.-U.K. and Ireland:The legal system in England uses the term counsel as an approximate synonym for a barrister-at-law, and may apply it to mean either a single person who pleads a cause, or collectively, the body of barristers...
, or working for the U.S. Bureau of Internal Revenue
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
(IRS). In particular, he was a special prosecutor
Special prosecutor
A special prosecutor generally is a lawyer from outside the government appointed by an attorney general or, in the United States, by Congress to investigate a government official for misconduct while in office. A reasoning for such an appointment is that the governmental branch or agency may have...
for the IRS both in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1919 to 1920, and later general counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
to the IRS from 1933 to 1934.
On September 12, 1945, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
appointed Prettyman to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Appeals from the D.C. Circuit, as with all the U.S. Courts of Appeals, are heard on a...
to fill the seat vacated by Judge Justin Miller
Justin Miller (judge)
Justin Miller was a lawyer and a federal appellate judge.Miller was born in Crescent City, California in 1888. He got his B.A...
. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on September 24, and received his commission on September 28. From 1958 to 1960, he served as Chief Judge of the court. He assumed senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
on April 16, 1962, but remained a senior judge until his death in 1971.
In March 1997, the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse was named in his honor. Years earlier, Prettyman had advocated the installment of the triangular 24-foot high monument, Trylon of Freedom, in front of the courthouse. Sculpted by Carl Paul Jennewein
C. Paul Jennewein
Carl Paul Jennewein was a German-born American sculptor.-Early career:Jennewein was born in Stuttgart in Germany. He immigrated to the United States in 1907....
in 1954, the monument features excerpts and scenes from the nation’s founding documents.
Prettyman Road in Rockville
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
was also named in his honor.