Harry T. Edwards
Encyclopedia
Harry Thomas Edwards is a United States federal judge
.
Born in New York, New York, Judge Edwards received a B.S.
from Cornell University
in 1962, where he was a member of the Quill and Dagger
society. He received a J.D.
from University of Michigan Law School
in 1965 and practiced law in Chicago for the firm of Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson from 1965 to 1970. He then taught as a professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School from 1970 to 1975 and from 1977 to 1980. In between, he taught at Harvard Law School
. He also taught at the Harvard Institute for Educational Management between 1976 and 1982. He served as a member and then Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amtrak
from 1978 to 1980, and also served as a neutral labor arbitrator under a number of major collective bargaining agreements during the 1970s.
On December 6, 1979, Judge Edwards was nominated by President
Jimmy Carter
to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated by David L. Bazelon
. Edwards was confirmed by the United States Senate
on February 20, 1980, and received commission the same day. He served as chief judge from September 15, 1994 to July 15, 2001, and assumed senior status
on November 3, 2005.
Judge Edwards has co-authored five books and published articles on labor law, higher education law, federal courts, legal education, professionalism and judicial administration. Since joining the court, he has taught law at Harvard
, Michigan
, Duke, Pennsylvania
, and Georgetown University
. He has served as a Visiting Professor of Law at New York University Law School since 1990.
When he was an undergraduate at Cornell University
, Judge Edwards was admitted into membership in Alpha Epsilon Pi
fraternity. Edwards broke the fraternity's race barrier in part through the efforts of Michael Schwerner
, who also served as his pledgemaster. He and Schwerner remained close friends until Schwerner was killed in Mississippi on June 21, 1964 during the Civil Rights Movement
. Judge Edwards is still good friends with Schwerner's widow, Rita Bender. Some years after graduating from Cornell, Judge Edwards resigned his membership from Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. On March 30, 1979, while he was a Professor at the University of Michigan Law School, Judge Edwards was admitted to membership in Alpha Phi Alpha
, a historically African-American fraternity.
In 2006, Judge Edwards was appointed by the United States National Research Council
at the National Academy of Sciences
to serve as Co-Chair of the Committee on Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Science Community. On February 18, 2009, the Committee published a widely hailed study reporting serious deficiencies in the nation's forensic science system and calling for major reforms and new research.The report said that rigorous and mandatory certification programs for forensic scientists were lacking, as were strong standards and protocols for analyzing and reporting on evidence. The report also indicated that there was a dearth of peer-reviewed, published studies establishing the scientific bases and reliability of many forensic methods, and that many forensic science labs were underfunded, understaffed, and had no effective oversight. Numerous reform efforts have been initiated in the wake of the report.
|-
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....
.
Born in New York, New York, Judge Edwards received a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1962, where he was a member of the Quill and Dagger
Quill and Dagger
Quill and Dagger is a senior honor society at Cornell University. It is often recognized as one of the most prominent collegiate societies of its type, along with Skull and Bones of Yale University...
society. 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 University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
in 1965 and practiced law in Chicago for the firm of Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson from 1965 to 1970. He then taught as a professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School from 1970 to 1975 and from 1977 to 1980. In between, he taught at 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...
. He also taught at the Harvard Institute for Educational Management between 1976 and 1982. He served as a member and then Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
from 1978 to 1980, and also served as a neutral labor arbitrator under a number of major collective bargaining agreements during the 1970s.
On December 6, 1979, Judge Edwards was nominated by 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....
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated by David L. Bazelon
David L. Bazelon
David Lionel Bazelon was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.-Early life, education, and career:...
. Edwards 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 February 20, 1980, and received commission the same day. He served as chief judge from September 15, 1994 to July 15, 2001, and 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 November 3, 2005.
Judge Edwards has co-authored five books and published articles on labor law, higher education law, federal courts, legal education, professionalism and judicial administration. Since joining the court, he has taught law at Harvard
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...
, Michigan
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
, Duke, Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania Law School
The University of Pennsylvania Law School, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the law school of the University of Pennsylvania. A member of the Ivy League, it is among the oldest and most selective law schools in the nation. It is currently ranked 7th overall by U.S. News & World Report,...
, and Georgetown University
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...
. He has served as a Visiting Professor of Law at New York University Law School since 1990.
When he was an undergraduate at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Judge Edwards was admitted into membership in Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
fraternity. Edwards broke the fraternity's race barrier in part through the efforts of Michael Schwerner
Michael Schwerner
Michael Henry Schwerner , was one of three Congress of Racial Equality field workers killed in Philadelphia, Mississippi, by the Ku Klux Klan in response to their civil rights work, which included promoting voting registration among Mississippi African Americans...
, who also served as his pledgemaster. He and Schwerner remained close friends until Schwerner was killed in Mississippi on June 21, 1964 during the Civil Rights Movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
. Judge Edwards is still good friends with Schwerner's widow, Rita Bender. Some years after graduating from Cornell, Judge Edwards resigned his membership from Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. On March 30, 1979, while he was a Professor at the University of Michigan Law School, Judge Edwards was admitted to membership in Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
, a historically African-American fraternity.
In 2006, Judge Edwards was appointed by the United States National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
at the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
to serve as Co-Chair of the Committee on Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Science Community. On February 18, 2009, the Committee published a widely hailed study reporting serious deficiencies in the nation's forensic science system and calling for major reforms and new research.The report said that rigorous and mandatory certification programs for forensic scientists were lacking, as were strong standards and protocols for analyzing and reporting on evidence. The report also indicated that there was a dearth of peer-reviewed, published studies establishing the scientific bases and reliability of many forensic methods, and that many forensic science labs were underfunded, understaffed, and had no effective oversight. Numerous reform efforts have been initiated in the wake of the report.
External links
|-