Edwin F. Hunter
Encyclopedia
Edwin Ford Hunter, Jr. was the longest-sitting U.S. District Court judge in the nation, having served the Western District of Louisiana
for forty-eight years. Hunter was based in Lake Charles
in the southwestern portion of the state, from 1954 until his death, four days after his 91st birthday. Hunter was known for many civil rights
rulings. A half-century earlier, he had been a one-term member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
, having represented represented Caddo Parish in the far northwestern corner of the state from 1948 to 1952.
, the seat of Rapides Parish, in central Louisiana. He obtained his bachelor's degree
from Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge. In 1938, Hunter received his LL.B. degree from George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.
and was immediately admitted to the practice of law. He practiced privately in Springhill
in northern Webster Parish from 1938-1941. Then he relocated to Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish, for a year.
In 1942, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he entered the U.S. Navy. Hunter earned six Battle Stars while he served on the USS Saratoga
and the USS Saint Paul
.
In 1945, his World War II
service concluded, Hunter resumed his private practice in Shreveport and was elected three years later to the legislature. In 1952, he became executive counsel to the new Democratic
governor of Louisiana, Robert Floyd "Bob" Kennon
, a native of Minden
, the seat of Webster Parish.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
, whom Kennon had supported in the 1952 campaign, named the Democrat Hunter to a recess appointment
on the federal court to fill the seat vacated by Gaston L. Porterie. Hunter was thereafter confirmed by the United States Senate
within a month of his nomination, on February 9, 1954, and received his commission the following day. He was chief judge from 1973 to 1976, assuming senior status
on February 19, 1976 and continuing to serve on the bench in that capacity.
in a case that opened all-white McNeese State University
(then "College") in Lake Charles
to the first African-American students. McNeese later honored Hunter with the "Edwin F. Hunter, Jr., Professorship in Health and Science."
In 1960, Hunter slapped a contempt of court
charge against his old friend, then Louisiana Attorney General Jack P.F. Gremillion
, for a comment that Gremillion made in a federal courtroom while Gremillion was opposing the New Orleans public school desegregation
case.
Professor Michael G. Wade of Appalachian State University
in Boone, North Carolina
, researched a case during the time of the civil rights movement in regard to the lack of a predominantly black institution of higher learning in Lafayette Parish. According to Wade, Hunter concluded that six predominantly white state colleges in Louisiana had been geographically located for the convenience of whites, with "the purpose obviously being to make education available to more people and to make it possible for more people to stay at home and go to college at less expense." Yet, Hunter found that the same opportunity had not been provided to black students, in the particular case in Lafayette Parish. Those individuals, he said, had no college to which they could commute daily. Therefore, the court held that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
(then Southwestern State College) must be desegregated.
In 1962, Hunter signed voter registration cards for twenty-six blacks in majority-black East Carroll Parish in far northeastern Louisiana. He was the first federal judge to use the Civil Rights Act of 1960
, a measure signed by President Eisenhower, to strike against a "pattern of discrimination" by registering voters himself. At the time, not one black had been allowed to register in East Carroll Parish (parish seat Lake Providence
), located in one of the state's most economically deprived areas.
In another landmark legal ruling several years later, James Roach v. Dresser Industries, Hunter classified the Louisiana Acadians, popularly termed "Cajuns", as a national minority group.
. He presided over more admiralty
cases than any other judge. The Edwin F. Hunter, Jr. United States Courthouse and Federal Building at 611 Broad Street in Lake Charles, the seat of Calcasieu Parish, is named for Hunter.
In 1999, Hunter was honored as the "Distinguished Jurist" by the Louisiana Bar Foundation. He was a member of Sigma Chi
society.
United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana is a United States federal court with jurisdiction over approximately two thirds of the state of Louisiana, with courts in Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe and Shreveport...
for forty-eight years. Hunter was based in Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
in the southwestern portion of the state, from 1954 until his death, four days after his 91st birthday. Hunter was known for many civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
rulings. A half-century earlier, he had been a one-term member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
, having represented represented Caddo Parish in the far northwestern corner of the state from 1948 to 1952.
Early years, education, military
Hunter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Ford Hunter, Sr., in AlexandriaAlexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, the seat of Rapides Parish, in central Louisiana. He obtained his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge. In 1938, Hunter received his LL.B. degree from George Washington University Law School 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 was immediately admitted to the practice of law. He practiced privately in Springhill
Springhill, Louisiana
Springhill is a city in northern Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,439 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Minden Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in northern Webster Parish from 1938-1941. Then he relocated to Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish, for a year.
In 1942, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he entered the U.S. Navy. Hunter earned six Battle Stars while he served on the USS Saratoga
USS Saratoga (CV-3)
USS Saratoga was the second aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the fifth ship to bear her name. She was commissioned one month earlier than her sister and class leader, , which is the third actually commissioned after and Saratoga...
and the USS Saint Paul
USS Saint Paul (CA-73)
USS Saint Paul , a Baltimore-class cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for St. Paul, Minnesota....
.
In 1945, his World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service concluded, Hunter resumed his private practice in Shreveport and was elected three years later to the legislature. In 1952, he became executive counsel to the new Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
governor of Louisiana, Robert Floyd "Bob" Kennon
Robert F. Kennon
Robert Floyd Kennon, Sr., known as Bob Kennon , was the 48th Governor of Louisiana, serving from 1952-1956. He failed to win a second non-consecutive term in the 1963 Democratic primary....
, a native of Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, the seat of Webster Parish.
Eisenhower chooses Hunter
On October 3, 1953, however, RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, whom Kennon had supported in the 1952 campaign, named the Democrat Hunter to a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
on the federal court to fill the seat vacated by Gaston L. Porterie. Hunter was thereafter 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...
within a month of his nomination, on February 9, 1954, and received his commission the following day. He was chief judge from 1973 to 1976, assuming 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 February 19, 1976 and continuing to serve on the bench in that capacity.
Civil rights rulings
Shortly after being appointed to the federal bench, Hunter ruled for the plaintiffPlaintiff
A plaintiff , also known as a claimant or complainant, is the term used in some jurisdictions for the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court...
in a case that opened all-white McNeese State University
McNeese State University
McNeese State University is a public university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the United States. Founded in 1939 as a junior college, McNeese experienced growth due to economic activity in the region. It adopted its present name in 1970....
(then "College") in Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
to the first African-American students. McNeese later honored Hunter with the "Edwin F. Hunter, Jr., Professorship in Health and Science."
In 1960, Hunter slapped a contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
charge against his old friend, then Louisiana Attorney General Jack P.F. Gremillion
Jack P.F. Gremillion
Jack Paul Faustin Gremillion, Sr. , was the Democratic attorney general of Louisiana from 1956-1972. He was a member of the Earl Kemp Long political faction. Though he opposed school desegregation, he was a party loyalist and was an elector for the John F. Kennedy--Lyndon B. Johnson presidential...
, for a comment that Gremillion made in a federal courtroom while Gremillion was opposing the New Orleans public school desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
case.
Professor Michael G. Wade of Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
in Boone, North Carolina
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
, researched a case during the time of the civil rights movement in regard to the lack of a predominantly black institution of higher learning in Lafayette Parish. According to Wade, Hunter concluded that six predominantly white state colleges in Louisiana had been geographically located for the convenience of whites, with "the purpose obviously being to make education available to more people and to make it possible for more people to stay at home and go to college at less expense." Yet, Hunter found that the same opportunity had not been provided to black students, in the particular case in Lafayette Parish. Those individuals, he said, had no college to which they could commute daily. Therefore, the court held that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
(then Southwestern State College) must be desegregated.
In 1962, Hunter signed voter registration cards for twenty-six blacks in majority-black East Carroll Parish in far northeastern Louisiana. He was the first federal judge to use the Civil Rights Act of 1960
Civil Rights Act of 1960
The Civil Rights Act of 1960 was a United States federal law that established federal inspection of local voter registration rolls and introduced penalties for anyone who obstructed someone's attempt to register to vote or to vote...
, a measure signed by President Eisenhower, to strike against a "pattern of discrimination" by registering voters himself. At the time, not one black had been allowed to register in East Carroll Parish (parish seat Lake Providence
Lake Providence, Louisiana
Lake Providence is a town in and the parish seat of East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,104 at the 2000 census.-Civil War:...
), located in one of the state's most economically deprived areas.
In another landmark legal ruling several years later, James Roach v. Dresser Industries, Hunter classified the Louisiana Acadians, popularly termed "Cajuns", as a national minority group.
Hunter's work ethic
In his 89th year, Hunter said that he needed to work to prevent boredom. He carried a large civil workload until the end of his life. He died in Lake Charles, LouisianaLake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
. He presided over more admiralty
Admiralty law
Admiralty law is a distinct body of law which governs maritime questions and offenses. It is a body of both domestic law governing maritime activities, and private international law governing the relationships between private entities which operate vessels on the oceans...
cases than any other judge. The Edwin F. Hunter, Jr. United States Courthouse and Federal Building at 611 Broad Street in Lake Charles, the seat of Calcasieu Parish, is named for Hunter.
In 1999, Hunter was honored as the "Distinguished Jurist" by the Louisiana Bar Foundation. He was a member of Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
society.