H. Dale Cook
Encyclopedia
H. Dale Cook was an American federal judge
. He served on the bench from 1974 to 2008.
, Oklahoma
on April 14, 1924, and graduated from Guthrie High School in 1942. In 1943 he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, and was commissioned as an Air Corps 2nd lieutenant. He trained fighter pilots and served on active duty until October 1945. He served in the Air Force Reserve until 1953.
Cook graduated from the University of Oklahoma
with a bachelor’s degree in 1949 and a law degree in 1950.
He served as Logan County
attorney from 1951 to 1954, and as assistant U.S. attorney from 1954 to 1958 in Oklahoma City. From 1963 to 1965, he worked as legal counsel and adviser to then-Governor Henry Bellmon
.
Cook then returned to private law practice from 1965 until 1971, while he also served as the chairman and president of the Shepherd Mall State Bank from 1969-1971, when he left for Washington, D.C. to serve as director of the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals of the Social Security Administration
.
. He continued hearing cases until 2008.
In the 1980s, Cook and other federal judges in his district presided over thousands of cases as the civil docket in Oklahoma swelled due to the region-wide oil bust and savings and loan scandal.
In July 2009, Congressman John Sullivan
submitted a bill to rename the Federal building and United States courthouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma the "H. Dale Cook Federal Building and United States Courthouse." That bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives and proceeded on to the U.S. Senate. The bill died in the Senate's Committee on the Environment and Public Works because Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) never brought the bill for a vote in the committee, despite the fact that it had been placed on the committee's agenda at least twice. Though the entire Oklahoma congressional designation (including Democrats) supported the bill, some local Democrats in Oklahoma complained that they didn't want the building named after a Republican, despite the fact that Cook, when Chief Judge of the Northern District of Oklahoma, had been responsible for restoring the building.
Federal judge
Federal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state / provincial / local level.-Brazil:In Brazil, federal judges of first instance are chosen exclusively by public contest...
. He served on the bench from 1974 to 2008.
Early life
Cook was born in GuthrieGuthrie, Oklahoma
Guthrie is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. The population was 9,925 at the 2000 census.Guthrie was the territorial and later the first state capital for Oklahoma...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
on April 14, 1924, and graduated from Guthrie High School in 1942. In 1943 he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, and was commissioned as an Air Corps 2nd lieutenant. He trained fighter pilots and served on active duty until October 1945. He served in the Air Force Reserve until 1953.
Cook graduated from the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
with a bachelor’s degree in 1949 and a law degree in 1950.
He served as Logan County
Logan County, Oklahoma
Logan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population as of 2009 was 39,301. Its county seat is Guthrie. Logan County is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
attorney from 1951 to 1954, and as assistant U.S. attorney from 1954 to 1958 in Oklahoma City. From 1963 to 1965, he worked as legal counsel and adviser to then-Governor Henry Bellmon
Henry Bellmon
Henry Louis "Harry" Bellmon was an American Republican politician from Oklahoma. He was a member of the Oklahoma Legislature, the 18th and 23rd Governor of Oklahoma , and a two-term United States Senator.-Service in World War II:Bellmon was born in Tonkawa, Oklahoma and graduated from Billings...
.
Cook then returned to private law practice from 1965 until 1971, while he also served as the chairman and president of the Shepherd Mall State Bank from 1969-1971, when he left for Washington, D.C. to serve as director of the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals of the Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
The United States Social Security Administration is an independent agency of the United States federal government that administers Social Security, a social insurance program consisting of retirement, disability, and survivors' benefits...
.
Federal judge
In 1974, Cook was appointed a federal district court judge. He became chief judge of the Northern District of Oklahoma court in February 1979 and held that role until early 1992, when he took senior statusSenior 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...
. He continued hearing cases until 2008.
In the 1980s, Cook and other federal judges in his district presided over thousands of cases as the civil docket in Oklahoma swelled due to the region-wide oil bust and savings and loan scandal.
In July 2009, Congressman John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
submitted a bill to rename the Federal building and United States courthouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma the "H. Dale Cook Federal Building and United States Courthouse." That bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives and proceeded on to the U.S. Senate. The bill died in the Senate's Committee on the Environment and Public Works because Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) never brought the bill for a vote in the committee, despite the fact that it had been placed on the committee's agenda at least twice. Though the entire Oklahoma congressional designation (including Democrats) supported the bill, some local Democrats in Oklahoma complained that they didn't want the building named after a Republican, despite the fact that Cook, when Chief Judge of the Northern District of Oklahoma, had been responsible for restoring the building.