James Franklin Battin
Encyclopedia
James Franklin Battin was a Republican
U.S. Representative
from the U.S. state
of Montana
, and later a United States federal judge
.
Born in Wichita, Kansas
, Battin moved with his parents to Montana in November 1929. He was educated in the public schools of Billings
, the largest city in the state, graduating from high school
there in 1942. He enlisted in the United States Navy
and served for three years, two and a half years of which were in the Pacific
theater of operations. He returned to his studies and graduated in 1948 from Eastern Montana College
in Billings.
He received a J.D.
from George Washington University Law School in 1951, and was in private practice of law in Washington, D.C.
from 1951 to 1952, then in Billings from 1953 to 1960. He was a deputy county attorney of Yellowstone County, Montana
from 1953 to 1955, then general counsel and secretary of the City-County Planning Board of Billings in 1955. In 1955 he became an assistant city attorney of Billings, and was the city attorney from 1957 to 1958. He served as member of the Montana House of Representatives
in 1958 and 1959.
Battin was elected as a Republican
to the Eighty-seventh
and to the four succeeding Congresses, and served from January 3, 1961, until his resignation February 27, 1969, to become United States district judge. He was nominated by President Richard M. Nixon on February 20, 1969, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Montana
vacated by William Jameson
. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on February 25, 1969, and received his commission on February 27, 1969.
He became chief judge of the District on November 16, 1978, and served as chief judge until 1990. He assumed senior status
on February 13, 1990, and served in that capacity until his death, in Billings. The James F. Battin Courthouse in Billings is named for him. Battin lived long enough to see his son, Jim
, elected to the California State Assembly
in 1994 but did not live to see his son's two reelections to the Assembly nor his son's election to two terms in the California State Senate
.
One of the cases that Battin handled was the conviction of four counts of extortion
of the Louisiana
Teamsters Union business agent Edward Grady Partin
, the one who supplied the immunized testimony that sent Jimmy Hoffa
to prison.
Republican 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...
U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, and later a United States federal judge
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 Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, Battin moved with his parents to Montana in November 1929. He was educated in the public schools of Billings
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
, the largest city in the state, graduating from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
there in 1942. He enlisted in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and served for three years, two and a half years of which were in the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
theater of operations. He returned to his studies and graduated in 1948 from Eastern Montana College
Montana State University - Billings
Montana State University Billings is a state university. Its main campus is located in downtown Billings, Montana, United States. Formerly Eastern Montana Normal School when it was founded, it was then renamed to Eastern Montana College before being renamed to its present name in 1994...
in Billings.
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 George Washington University Law School in 1951, and was in private practice of law 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 1951 to 1952, then in Billings from 1953 to 1960. He was a deputy county attorney of Yellowstone County, Montana
Yellowstone County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Nez Perce National Historical Park * Pompeys Pillar National Monument-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,352 people, 52,084 households, and 34,219 families residing in the county. The population density was 49 people per square mile . There were...
from 1953 to 1955, then general counsel and secretary of the City-County Planning Board of Billings in 1955. In 1955 he became an assistant city attorney of Billings, and was the city attorney from 1957 to 1958. He served as member of the Montana House of Representatives
Montana House of Representatives
The Montana House of Representatives is, with the Montana Senate, one of the two houses of the Montana Legislature. Composed of 100 members, the House elects its leadership every two years.-Composition of the House:...
in 1958 and 1959.
Battin was elected as a Republican
Republican 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...
to the Eighty-seventh
87th United States Congress
-House of Representatives :-Senate:* President: Richard Nixon , until January 20, 1961** Lyndon Johnson , from January 20, 1961* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden -House of Representatives:...
and to the four succeeding Congresses, and served from January 3, 1961, until his resignation February 27, 1969, to become United States district judge. He was nominated by President Richard M. Nixon on February 20, 1969, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Montana
United States District Court for the District of Montana
The United States District Court for the District of Montana is the United States District Court whose jurisdiction is the state of Montana...
vacated by William Jameson
William Jameson
William Jameson was a Scottish-Ecuadorian botanist. He was born in Edinburgh and studied at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He made several voyages as a ship's surgeon, first to Baffin Bay, then to South America. In 1826 he settled in Quito, Ecuador. He was then appointed professor of...
. 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 February 25, 1969, and received his commission on February 27, 1969.
He became chief judge of the District on November 16, 1978, and served as chief judge until 1990. 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 February 13, 1990, and served in that capacity until his death, in Billings. The James F. Battin Courthouse in Billings is named for him. Battin lived long enough to see his son, Jim
Jim Battin
James Franklin Battin is a former California State Senator for District 37, which includes much of Riverside County in the inland part of Southern California. Prior to serving in the State Senate, Battin served in the California State Assembly from 1994 until 2000...
, elected to the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
in 1994 but did not live to see his son's two reelections to the Assembly nor his son's election to two terms in the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
.
One of the cases that Battin handled was the conviction of four counts of extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
of the Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Teamsters Union business agent Edward Grady Partin
Edward Grady Partin
Edward Grady Partin, Sr. , was a business agent of the Teamsters Union in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His testimony in 1964 helped to convict union president James Riddle Hoffa of jury tampering.-Early years:...
, the one who supplied the immunized testimony that sent Jimmy Hoffa
Jimmy Hoffa
James Riddle "Jimmy" Hoffa was an American labor union leader....
to prison.