Max Rosenn
Encyclopedia
Max Rosenn was a United States federal judge
on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
from 1970 to 2006.
Born to a Jewish family in Plains, Pennsylvania, Rosenn received a B.A.
from Cornell University
in 1929 and an LL.B. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School
in 1932. Upon completing law school, Rosenn entered private practice in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
. Rosenn was an Assistant District Attorney in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
from 1941 to 1944, and a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army
during World War II
from 1944 to 1946 (in the JAG
Corps in the Philippines
). In 1954, Max Rosenn, Mitchell Jenkins
and Henry Greenwald founded the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
law firm of Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald, which has grown to become a 40 member regional law firm with offices in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton and Milford, Pennsylvania. He was the Pennsylvania Secretary of Public Welfare 1966 to 1967. In 1972, when Wilkes-Barre and the entire Wyoming Valley (Pennsylvania) area was devastated by a flood, he chaired the Flood Recovery Task Force.
vacated by David Henry Stahl
. Rosenn was confirmed by the United States Senate
on October 6, 1970, and received his commission the following day. Rosenn assumed senior status
on January 21, 1981, serving in that capacity until his death.
Rosenn was widely respected in his community and by his fellow judges of all judicial temperaments and across the political spectrum. His opinions are more frequently cited than almost any other federal appellate court judge.
During his years on the court, Rosenn had more than seventy law clerks, who became extraordinarily devoted to him. In 1980, to commemorate his tenth anniversary on the bench, they established the annual Max Rosenn Lecture Series in Law and Humanities at Wilkes College (now Wilkes University
) in Wilkes-Barre. Following his death, they formed the Association of Law Clerks of The Honorable Max Rosenn. The Max Rosenn United States Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre is named for him., as is the Max Rosenn Memorial Law Library in the Luzerne County (Pennsylvania) Courthouse.
Rosenn was married to Tillie Hershkowitz, who died in 1992. He himself died in Wilkes-Barre on February 7, 2006 at the age of 96.
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....
on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts for the following districts:* District of Delaware* District of New Jersey...
from 1970 to 2006.
Born to a Jewish family in Plains, Pennsylvania, Rosenn received a B.A.
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 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 1929 and an LL.B. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School
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,...
in 1932. Upon completing law school, Rosenn entered private practice in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
. Rosenn was an Assistant District Attorney in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
from 1941 to 1944, and a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
from 1944 to 1946 (in the JAG
Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, refers to the legal branch or specialty of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called Judge Advocates. The Marine Corps and Coast Guard do not maintain separate JAG Corps...
Corps in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
). In 1954, Max Rosenn, Mitchell Jenkins
Mitchell Jenkins
Mitchell Jenkins was a U.S. Republican Congressional Representative from Pennsylvania.Mitchell Jenkins was born in Forty Fort, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. He attended the Kingston, Pennsylvania public elementary schools and the Wyoming Seminary Upper School during his high school years...
and Henry Greenwald founded the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
law firm of Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald, which has grown to become a 40 member regional law firm with offices in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton and Milford, Pennsylvania. He was the Pennsylvania Secretary of Public Welfare 1966 to 1967. In 1972, when Wilkes-Barre and the entire Wyoming Valley (Pennsylvania) area was devastated by a flood, he chaired the Flood Recovery Task Force.
Federal judicial service
On September 3, 1970, Rosenn was nominated by President Richard M. Nixon to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts for the following districts:* District of Delaware* District of New Jersey...
vacated by David Henry Stahl
David Henry Stahl
David Henry Stahl was a United States federal judge.Born in the Ukraine in the Soviet Union, Stahl received an A.B. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1942 and an LL.B. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1949. He was in the United States Army beginning in 1942. As well Attorney...
. Rosenn 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 6, 1970, and received his commission the following day. Rosenn 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 January 21, 1981, serving in that capacity until his death.
Rosenn was widely respected in his community and by his fellow judges of all judicial temperaments and across the political spectrum. His opinions are more frequently cited than almost any other federal appellate court judge.
During his years on the court, Rosenn had more than seventy law clerks, who became extraordinarily devoted to him. In 1980, to commemorate his tenth anniversary on the bench, they established the annual Max Rosenn Lecture Series in Law and Humanities at Wilkes College (now Wilkes University
Wilkes University
Wilkes University is a private, non-denominational American university located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It has over 2,200 undergraduates and over 2,200 graduate students...
) in Wilkes-Barre. Following his death, they formed the Association of Law Clerks of The Honorable Max Rosenn. The Max Rosenn United States Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre is named for him., as is the Max Rosenn Memorial Law Library in the Luzerne County (Pennsylvania) Courthouse.
Rosenn was married to Tillie Hershkowitz, who died in 1992. He himself died in Wilkes-Barre on February 7, 2006 at the age of 96.