Robert Alexander Inch
Encyclopedia
Robert Alexander Inch was a longtime United States District Judge in Brooklyn, New York.
, Rhode Island
, Inch obtained a bachelors degree from Princeton University
in 1895 and then graduated from New York Law School
in 1897. After graduation, Inch spent the next 27 years as a lawyer
in private practice in New York City
.
Warren G. Harding
named Inch as a recess appointee
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
in Brooklyn vacated by Thomas Ives Chatfield. On December 15, 1923, following HHarding's death, President Calvin Coolidge
renominated Inch to a lifetime term on the court; he was confirmed by the Senate
on January 8, 1924, and received his commission the same day. Inch served on the District Court for 37 years until his death in 1961, including service as Chief Judge
of the Eastern District of New York from 1948 to 1958, and in senior status
beginning on January 6, 1958.
As a federal district judge, Inch presided over a full array of civil and criminal matters, ranging from prosecutions under the Volstead Act
during the Prohibition
Era to receivership
cases during the Great Depression
and conspiracy charges against alleged organized crime
leaders during the 1950s. From 1948 to 1951, Inch presided over the government's case against Martin James Monti
for assisting Germany
during World War II
, denying Monti's plea to withdraw his guilty plea to charges of treason
that initially resulted in a 25-year prison sentence.
Although Inch was reportedly a dedicated and hardworking judge, his decisions were not universally respected. In particular, Judge Learned Hand
of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
, which reviewed Inch's rulings when they were appealed, was consistently critical, frequently referring to Inch in internal court memoranda by derisive names such as "the Inchworm" or "Judge Millimeter."
After Inch assumed senior status in 1958, his position as Chief Judge was filled by Mortimer W. Byers
, and his seat as an active judge was filled by John R. Bartels. Inch continued to hear cases until 1959. He died two years later at the age of 87.
, a sport he played avidly for more than 50 years.
Inch continued to hear cases until 1959. He died two years later at the age of 87, in Queens, New York.
Early life, education, and career
Born in ProvidenceProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, Inch obtained a bachelors degree from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1895 and then graduated from New York Law School
New York Law School
New York Law School is a private law school in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. New York Law School is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. The school is located within four blocks of all major courts in Manhattan. In 2011, New York Law School...
in 1897. After graduation, Inch spent the next 27 years as a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in private practice in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Federal judicial service
On April 28, 1923, In 1923, PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
named Inch as a recess appointee
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...
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the entirety of Long Island and Staten Island...
in Brooklyn vacated by Thomas Ives Chatfield. On December 15, 1923, following HHarding's death, President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
renominated Inch to a lifetime term on the court; he was confirmed by the 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 January 8, 1924, and received his commission the same day. Inch served on the District Court for 37 years until his death in 1961, including service as Chief Judge
Chief judge
Chief Judge is a title that can refer to the highest-ranking judge of a court that has more than one judge. The meaning and usage of the term vary from one court system to another...
of the Eastern District of New York from 1948 to 1958, and in 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...
beginning on January 6, 1958.
As a federal district judge, Inch presided over a full array of civil and criminal matters, ranging from prosecutions under the Volstead Act
Volstead Act
The National Prohibition Act, known informally as the Volstead Act, was the enabling legislation for the Eighteenth Amendment which established prohibition in the United States...
during the Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
Era to receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
cases during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and conspiracy charges against alleged organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
leaders during the 1950s. From 1948 to 1951, Inch presided over the government's case against Martin James Monti
Martin James Monti
Martin James Monti was a United States airman who enlisted in the Army Air Forces as an aviation cadet. Monti reported for training and later was commissioned as a Flight Officer. He subsequently qualified in the P-39 Aircobra and the P-38 Lightning, and was promoted to second lieutenant, when he...
for assisting Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
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...
, denying Monti's plea to withdraw his guilty plea to charges of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
that initially resulted in a 25-year prison sentence.
Although Inch was reportedly a dedicated and hardworking judge, his decisions were not universally respected. In particular, Judge Learned Hand
Learned Hand
Billings Learned Hand was a United States judge and judicial philosopher. He served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and later the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit...
of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals...
, which reviewed Inch's rulings when they were appealed, was consistently critical, frequently referring to Inch in internal court memoranda by derisive names such as "the Inchworm" or "Judge Millimeter."
After Inch assumed senior status in 1958, his position as Chief Judge was filled by Mortimer W. Byers
Mortimer W. Byers
Mortimer W. Byers was a United States federal judge.Byers was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received an LL.B. from Columbia Law School in 1898, and then served as a sergeant in the 23rd Regiment of the New York State National Guard in World War I...
, and his seat as an active judge was filled by John R. Bartels. Inch continued to hear cases until 1959. He died two years later at the age of 87.
Personal life
Off the bench, Inch was known as a lover of golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, a sport he played avidly for more than 50 years.
Inch continued to hear cases until 1959. He died two years later at the age of 87, in Queens, New York.