James Arnold von der Heydt
Encyclopedia
James Arnold von der Heydt (born July 15, 1919) is an American lawyer
and judge
. He is currently a member of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska
.
James von der Heydt was born in Miles City, Montana
. He attended Albion College
, where he received a B.A. degree in 1942, and the Northwestern University School of Law
, where he got a J.D.
degree in 1951. He served as a deputy U.S. marshal in Nome, Alaska
from 1945-1948. He also was U.S. Commissioner, United States District Court for the District of Alaska, 1951 and a U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, 1951-1953. Later, he went into private practice in Nome, from 1953 to 1959. He served as a Member of the Territorial Alaska House of Representatives during the 1957-1959 term and was the Presiding judge of the Superior Court, State of Alaska, from 1959 to 1966.
Von der Heydt was nominated by Lyndon B. Johnson
on September 9, 1966, to a seat vacated by Walter Hartman Hodge
. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on October 20, 1966, and received his commission on November 3, 1966. He served as chief judge, from 1973 to 1984 and assumed senior status
on July 15, 1984.
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
. He is currently a member of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska
United States District Court for the District of Alaska
The United States District Court for the District of Alaska is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Alaska. Offices are located in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Nome...
.
James von der Heydt was born in Miles City, Montana
Miles City, Montana
Miles City is a city in and the county seat of Custer County, Montana, United States. The population was 8,123 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. He attended Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
, where he received a B.A. degree in 1942, and the Northwestern University School of Law
Northwestern University School of Law
The Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. The law school was founded in 1859 as the Union College of Law of the Old University of Chicago. The first law school established in Chicago, it became jointly controlled by Northwestern University in...
, where he got 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...
degree in 1951. He served as a deputy U.S. marshal in Nome, Alaska
Nome, Alaska
Nome is a city in the Nome Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern Seward Peninsula coast on Norton Sound of the Bering Sea. According to the 2010 Census, the city population was 3,598. Nome was incorporated on April 9, 1901, and was once the...
from 1945-1948. He also was U.S. Commissioner, United States District Court for the District of Alaska, 1951 and a U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, 1951-1953. Later, he went into private practice in Nome, from 1953 to 1959. He served as a Member of the Territorial Alaska House of Representatives during the 1957-1959 term and was the Presiding judge of the Superior Court, State of Alaska, from 1959 to 1966.
Von der Heydt was nominated by Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
on September 9, 1966, to a seat vacated by Walter Hartman Hodge
Walter Hartman Hodge
Walter Hartman Hodge was an American lawyer and judge.Hodge was born in 1896 in Auburn, Indiana. He attended the University of Washington School of Law and graduated with the LL.B. in 1919. He served as a law clerk for the Supreme Court of Washington State, 1919-1920 and went into private practice...
. 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 October 20, 1966, and received his commission on November 3, 1966. He served as chief judge, from 1973 to 1984 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 July 15, 1984.