Jesse Smith Henley
Encyclopedia
Jesse Smith Henley was a United States federal judge
.
Henley was born in Saint Joe, Arkansas, and received an LL.B. from the University of Arkansas School of Law
in 1941. He was in private practice in Fayetteville, Arkansas
from 1941 to 1954. He was a clerk and a Referee in Bankruptcy
for the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
from 1943 to 1945. He became an Associate general counsel in the Federal Communications Commission
in 1954, and in 1956 became a Director in the Office of Administrative Procedure, U.S. Department of Justice.
On October 25, 1958, Henley received a recess appointment
from President Dwight D. Eisenhower
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
vacated by Thomas C. Trimble. Formally nominated on January 17, 1959, Henley's service was terminated on September 11, 1959, after his nomination was not confirmed by the United States Senate
.
Before Henley's recess appointment expired, on August 18, 1959, Eisenhower had already re-nominated Henley to a seat on the Eastern and Western District of Arkansas
, both seats having been vacated by Harry J. Lemley. This time, Henley was confirmed by the Senate on September 2, 1959, and received his commission on September 8, 1959 - three days before the expiration of his recess appointment. Henley's service on the District Court ended on March 24, 1975, following his elevation to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
.
Henley was nominated to the Eighth Circuit by Gerald Ford
on January 28, 1975, to a seat vacated by Pat Mehaffy
. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 13, 1975, and received his commission the following day. He assumed senior status
on May 31, 1982, and served in that capacity until his death, in Harrison, Arkansas
. The J. Smith Henley Federal Building in Harrison is named for him.
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....
.
Henley was born in Saint Joe, Arkansas, and received an LL.B. from the University of Arkansas School of Law
University of Arkansas School of Law
The University of Arkansas School of Law is the law school of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a state university. It has around 445 students enrolled in its Juris Doctor and Master of Law programs and is home to the federally-funded National Agricultural Law Center and the...
in 1941. He was in private practice in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
from 1941 to 1954. He was a clerk and a Referee in Bankruptcy
Referee in Bankruptcy
A Referee in Bankruptcy or Bankruptcy Referee is a federal official with quasi-judicial powers, appointed by a United States district court to administer bankruptcy proceedings...
for the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas is a United States District Court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties: Ashley, Baxter, Benton, Boone, Bradley, Calhoun, Carroll, Clarke, Columbia, Crawford, Franklin, Garland, Hempstead, Hot Springs, Howard,...
from 1943 to 1945. He became an Associate general counsel in the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
in 1954, and in 1956 became a Director in the Office of Administrative Procedure, U.S. Department of Justice.
On October 25, 1958, Henley received a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
from President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas is the United States District Court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties: Arkansas, Chicot, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Conway, Craighead, Conway, Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Dehsa, Drew, Faulkner, Fulton, Grant,...
vacated by Thomas C. Trimble. Formally nominated on January 17, 1959, Henley's service was terminated on September 11, 1959, after his nomination was not 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...
.
Before Henley's recess appointment expired, on August 18, 1959, Eisenhower had already re-nominated Henley to a seat on the Eastern and Western District of Arkansas
United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas is a United States District Court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties: Ashley, Baxter, Benton, Boone, Bradley, Calhoun, Carroll, Clarke, Columbia, Crawford, Franklin, Garland, Hempstead, Hot Springs, Howard,...
, both seats having been vacated by Harry J. Lemley. This time, Henley was confirmed by the Senate on September 2, 1959, and received his commission on September 8, 1959 - three days before the expiration of his recess appointment. Henley's service on the District Court ended on March 24, 1975, following his elevation to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Arkansas* Western District of Arkansas...
.
Henley was nominated to the Eighth Circuit by Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
on January 28, 1975, to a seat vacated by Pat Mehaffy
Pat Mehaffy
Pat Mehaffy was a United States federal judge.Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Mehaffy received an LL.B. from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1927. He was in private practice in Little Rock, Arkansas from 1929 to 1930. He was an Assistant state attorney general of Arkansas from 1929 to...
. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 13, 1975, and received his commission the following day. 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 May 31, 1982, and served in that capacity until his death, in Harrison, Arkansas
Harrison, Arkansas
Harrison is a city in Boone County, Arkansas, United States. It is the county seat. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 13,108. Boone County was organized in 1869, during reconstruction after the civil war. Harrison was platted and made the county seat. It is...
. The J. Smith Henley Federal Building in Harrison is named for him.