Edward Dumbauld
Encyclopedia
Edward Dumbauld was a United States federal judge
and a distinguished legal scholar and legal and constitutional historian.
Born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania
, Dumbauld received an A.B.
from Princeton University
in 1926, an LL.B. from Harvard Law School
in 1929, and an LL.M., also from Harvard Law School
, in 1930. He received a J.D.
from the University of Leiden, The Netherlands in 1932. He was in private practice in Uniontown, Pennsylvania
from 1933 to 1935. From 1936 to 1949, he served as a special assistant in the Antitrust Division
of the United States Department of Justice
. In 1949, he returned to private practice in Uniontown, Pennsylvania
from 1949 to 1957, when he became a judge on the Court of Common Pleas
, Uniontown, Pennsylvania
, serving until 1961.
On August 2, 1961, Dumbauld was nominated by President John F. Kennedy
to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
created by 75 Stat. 80. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on August 2, 1961, receiving his judicial commission on August 3, 1961. He assumed senior status
on December 31, 1976, serving in that capacity until his death, in 1997, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania
.
In addition to his legal and judicial duties, Judge Dumbauld wrote extensively for scholars and general readers about the life and work of Thomas Jefferson
, the Declaration of Independence
, and the U.S. Constitution and U.S. Bill of Rights, as well as the Renaissance
legal philosopher and treatise-writer Hugo Grotius
. He was a longtime member of the American Society for Legal History.
His books, many of them standards of American legal-historical literature, include:
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....
and a distinguished legal scholar and legal and constitutional historian.
Born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...
, Dumbauld received an A.B.
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...
from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1926, an LL.B. from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1929, and an LL.M., also from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, in 1930. He received a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Leiden, The Netherlands in 1932. He was in private practice in Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...
from 1933 to 1935. From 1936 to 1949, he served as a special assistant in the Antitrust Division
United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division
The United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division is responsible for enforcing the antitrust laws of the United States. It shares jurisdiction over civil antitrust cases with the Federal Trade Commission and often works jointly with the FTC to provide regulatory guidance to businesses...
of the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
. In 1949, he returned to private practice in Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...
from 1949 to 1957, when he became a judge on the Court of Common Pleas
Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas
The Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania .The Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state....
, Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...
, serving until 1961.
On August 2, 1961, Dumbauld was nominated by President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania sits in Pittsburgh, Erie, and Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It is composed of ten judges as authorized by federal law. The Honorable Judge Gary L. Lancaster is currently Chief Judge of the Western Pennsylvania District...
created by 75 Stat. 80. 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 August 2, 1961, receiving his judicial commission on August 3, 1961. 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 December 31, 1976, serving in that capacity until his death, in 1997, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...
.
In addition to his legal and judicial duties, Judge Dumbauld wrote extensively for scholars and general readers about the life and work of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
, and the U.S. Constitution and U.S. Bill of Rights, as well as the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
legal philosopher and treatise-writer Hugo Grotius
Hugo Grotius
Hugo Grotius , also known as Huig de Groot, Hugo Grocio or Hugo de Groot, was a jurist in the Dutch Republic. With Francisco de Vitoria and Alberico Gentili he laid the foundations for international law, based on natural law...
. He was a longtime member of the American Society for Legal History.
His books, many of them standards of American legal-historical literature, include:
- Thomas Jefferson, American Tourist..." (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1946)
- The Declaration of Independence and What It Means Today (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1950)
- The Bill of Rights and What It Means Today (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1957; reprint ed., Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1979) ISBN 0313212155
- The Constitution of the United States (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1964)
- The Life and Legal Writings of Hugo Grotius (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1969)
- Thomas Jefferson and the Law (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1978), ISBN 080611441X