Robert Cowen
Encyclopedia
Robert E. Cowen is a Federal Appeals Judge with the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
based in Philadelphia. He joined the court in 1987 after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan
. Cowen is a judge serving on senior status and has served in the federal judiciary since 1978.
, Cowen graduated from Drake University
in 1952 with a B.S.
degree. In 1958, Cowen graduated from Rutgers School of Law-Newark with a LL.B.
.
for New Jersey Superior Court judge Walter Conklin in the New Jersey Superior Court
from 1958 to 1959 before becoming a private practice attorney licensed in the State of New Jersey from 1959 to 1969. Cowen also served as a Assistant county prosecutor for the Essex County, NJ Prosecutor's Office from 1969 to 1970 before joining the New Jersey Attorney General's Office as a Deputy state attorney general from 1970 to 1973 before becoming the Director of Ethics and Professional Services in the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for New Jersey from 1973 to 1978.
in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Cowen was nominated by President Ronald Reagan
on October 7, 1985 to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333 which was approved by Congress. Cowen was confirmed by the United States Senate
on November 1, 1985 on a Senate vote and received commission on November 4, 1985. Cowen left the District of New Jersey on November 16, 1987, due to his appointment to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
as Hunter assumed senior status. Cowen was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 6, 1987 on unanimous consent of the Senate and received commission on November 9, 1987. Cowen served 11 years before assuming senior status
on September 4, 1998.
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...
based in Philadelphia. He joined the court in 1987 after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Cowen is a judge serving on senior status and has served in the federal judiciary since 1978.
Early life and education
A native of New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Cowen graduated from Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
in 1952 with a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree. In 1958, Cowen graduated from Rutgers School of Law-Newark with a LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
.
Legal career
Cowen began his legal career as a law clerkLaw 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 New Jersey Superior Court judge Walter Conklin in the New Jersey Superior Court
New Jersey Superior Court
The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with state-wide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The Superior Court has three divisions: the Appellate Division is essentially an intermediate appellate court while the Law and Chancery Divisions function as trial courts...
from 1958 to 1959 before becoming a private practice attorney licensed in the State of New Jersey from 1959 to 1969. Cowen also served as a Assistant county prosecutor for the Essex County, NJ Prosecutor's Office from 1969 to 1970 before joining the New Jersey Attorney General's Office as a Deputy state attorney general from 1970 to 1973 before becoming the Director of Ethics and Professional Services in the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for New Jersey from 1973 to 1978.
District of New Jersey
From 1978 to 1985, Cowen was a U.S. MagistrateMagistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Cowen was nominated by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
on October 7, 1985 to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333 which was approved by Congress. Cowen 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 November 1, 1985 on a Senate vote and received commission on November 4, 1985. Cowen left the District of New Jersey on November 16, 1987, due to his appointment to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Third Circuit Court of Appeals
Less than two years later, Cowen was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on August 7, 1987, to a seat vacated by James Hunter IIIJames Hunter III
James Hunter III was an American jurist who served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit....
as Hunter assumed senior status. Cowen was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 6, 1987 on unanimous consent of the Senate and received commission on November 9, 1987. Cowen served 11 years before assuming 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 September 4, 1998.