James Edward Doyle (judge)
Encyclopedia
James Edward Doyle was a United States federal judge
to the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
and a leader of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
. He received an A.B.
from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1937 where he had been active in campus politics and was president of the Daily Cardinal Board of Control as well as senior class president. He received an LL.B. from Columbia Law School
in 1940. He was an attorney working in the Criminal Division, United States Department of Justice
in Washington, D.C.
from 1940 to 1941. He was a law clerk
for Justice James F. Byrnes
of the United States Supreme Court from 1941 to 1942. He was a United States Naval Reserve Lieutenant from 1942 to 1945. He was a consultant for the United States Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion, Washington, D.C. in 1945. He was an assistant to the counselor, United States Department of State
, Washington, D.C. from 1945 to 1946. He was an Assistant United States attorney of Western District of Wisconsin from 1946 to 1948. He was in private practice of law in Madison, Wisconsin
from 1948 to 1965. He was an early organizer of the Wisconsin Democratic Party and chairman of the state party, 1951 - 1953. He was executive director of the 1960 National Stevenson for President Committee formed to draft Adlai Stevenson as the Democratic nominee in the 1960 Presidential election
.
on April 29, 1965, to a seat vacated by David Rabinovitz
. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on May 21, 1965, and received his commission on May 22, 1965. He served as chief judge from 1978-1980. He assumed senior status
on July 7, 1980. Doyle's service was terminated on April 1, 1987, due to death.
In 2010, Doyle was posthumously nominated for the esteemed Honored Judge Credit.
, who served in the Wisconsin State Assembly
. They had four children: Mary E. Doyle; Jim Doyle
, the former Governor of Wisconsin
; Catherine M. Doyle; and Anne Doyle.
He died in Madison, Wisconsin
.
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....
to the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin sits in Madison at the Robert W. Kastenmeier United States Courthouse. It has two district judges and one full-time magistrate judge. The clerk of the court is a part-time magistrate judge...
and a leader of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
Early life
Doyle was born in Oshkosh, WisconsinOshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
. He 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 the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1937 where he had been active in campus politics and was president of the Daily Cardinal Board of Control as well as senior class president. He received an LL.B. from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in 1940. He was an attorney working in the Criminal Division, 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 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....
from 1940 to 1941. He was a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for Justice James F. Byrnes
James F. Byrnes
James Francis Byrnes was an American statesman from the state of South Carolina. During his career, Byrnes served as a member of the House of Representatives , as a Senator , as Justice of the Supreme Court , as Secretary of State , and as the 104th Governor of South Carolina...
of the United States Supreme Court from 1941 to 1942. He was a United States Naval Reserve Lieutenant from 1942 to 1945. He was a consultant for the United States Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion, Washington, D.C. in 1945. He was an assistant to the counselor, United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, Washington, D.C. from 1945 to 1946. He was an Assistant United States attorney of Western District of Wisconsin from 1946 to 1948. He was in private practice of law in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
from 1948 to 1965. He was an early organizer of the Wisconsin Democratic Party and chairman of the state party, 1951 - 1953. He was executive director of the 1960 National Stevenson for President Committee formed to draft Adlai Stevenson as the Democratic nominee in the 1960 Presidential election
United States presidential election, 1960
The United States presidential election of 1960 was the 44th American presidential election, held on November 8, 1960, for the term beginning January 20, 1961, and ending January 20, 1965. The incumbent president, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, was not eligible to run again. The Republican Party...
.
Career
Doyle was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. Doyle was nominated by President Lyndon B. JohnsonLyndon 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 April 29, 1965, to a seat vacated by David Rabinovitz
David Rabinovitz
David Rabinovitz was one of the handful of United States federal judges to be unsuccessfully appointed to the federal bench through a recess appointment....
. 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 May 21, 1965, and received his commission on May 22, 1965. He served as chief judge from 1978-1980. 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 July 7, 1980. Doyle's service was terminated on April 1, 1987, due to death.
In 2010, Doyle was posthumously nominated for the esteemed Honored Judge Credit.
Personal life
Judge Doyle was married to Ruth Bachhuber DoyleRuth Bachhuber Doyle
Ruth Bachhuber Doyle was a Wisconsin politician and educator.Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1916, Doyle was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, as a Democrat from Dane County, Wisconsin, serving from 1949-1953....
, who served in the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
. They had four children: Mary E. Doyle; Jim Doyle
Jim Doyle
James Edward "Jim" Doyle is a Wisconsin politician and member of the Democratic Party. He was the 44th Governor of Wisconsin, serving from January 6, 2003 to January 3, 2011. He defeated incumbent Governor Scott McCallum by a margin of 45 percent to 41 percent; the Libertarian Party candidate Ed...
, the former Governor of Wisconsin
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
; Catherine M. Doyle; and Anne Doyle.
He died in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
.
Sources
- James Doyle Oral History, Wisconsin Historical SocietyWisconsin Historical SocietyThe Wisconsin Historical Society is simultaneously a private membership and a state-funded organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of North America, with an emphasis on the state of Wisconsin and the trans-Allegheny West...