Thomas E. Fairchild
Encyclopedia
Thomas Edward Fairchild (December 25, 1912 – February 12, 2007), was a U.S. federal judge and former politician from Wisconsin
. Before his death, he served as a Senior Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
.
Thomas Fairchild was born on Christmas Day in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. His educational background included a B.A. from Cornell University
, a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School
, and additional studies conducted at Princeton University
and Deep Springs College
in California.
Following graduation from law school in 1938, he practiced law in Portage, Wisconsin
until 1942, when he became an attorney with the Office of Price Administration
, specializing in consumer rationing issues. He returned to private practice in 1945, working out of the Milwaukee law office of Foley and Lardner for three years. In 1948, he was elected as Attorney General of Wisconsin. During his tenure as state attorney general, he shut down "Stop the Music", a popular radio quiz show, which thereafter made the first successful leap from radio to the television era triggering a wave of quiz show scandals
throughout the 1950's. His decision to halt the radio show in the pre-TV era may have contributed to his loss in the 1950 U.S. Senate race against incumbent Alexander Wiley
. In 1951, President Harry S. Truman
appointed him U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. A year later, he resigned to run against U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy
. Following his defeat in the 1952 Senate race, he resumed private law practice in Milwaukee. In 1956, he represented alleged Communists before the House Un-American Activities Committee
. Later that year, he was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court
, serving until 1966, when President Lyndon B. Johnson
appointed him to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He served as the Court's Chief Judge from 1975 to 1981, and held senior status
from 1981 until his death. His father was Edward T. Fairchild
, who sworn his son in, when he took office in 1957 on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Judge Fairchild died on February 12, 2007 in Madison
.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Before his death, he served as a Senior Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois...
.
Thomas Fairchild was born on Christmas Day in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. His educational background included a B.A. 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...
, a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School
University of Wisconsin Law School
The University of Wisconsin Law School is the professional school for the study of law at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. The law school was founded in 1868.-Facilities:...
, and additional studies conducted at 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....
and Deep Springs College
Deep Springs College
Deep Springs is a private, all-male , alternative college in Deep Springs, California, in the United States. A two-year college, the institution currently aims for a student body size of 26, though the number is occasionally lower...
in California.
Following graduation from law school in 1938, he practiced law in Portage, Wisconsin
Portage, Wisconsin
Portage is a city in and the county seat of Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,662 at the 2010 census making it the largest city in Columbia County...
until 1942, when he became an attorney with the Office of Price Administration
Office of Price Administration
The Office of Price Administration was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA was originally to control money and rents after the outbreak of World War II.President Franklin D...
, specializing in consumer rationing issues. He returned to private practice in 1945, working out of the Milwaukee law office of Foley and Lardner for three years. In 1948, he was elected as Attorney General of Wisconsin. During his tenure as state attorney general, he shut down "Stop the Music", a popular radio quiz show, which thereafter made the first successful leap from radio to the television era triggering a wave of quiz show scandals
Quiz show scandals
The American quiz show scandals of the 1950s were a series of revelations that contestants of several popular television quiz shows were secretly given assistance by the show's producers to arrange the outcome of a supposedly fair competition....
throughout the 1950's. His decision to halt the radio show in the pre-TV era may have contributed to his loss in the 1950 U.S. Senate race against incumbent Alexander Wiley
Alexander Wiley
Alexander Wiley was a member of the Republican Party who served four terms in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1939 to 1963. When he left the Senate, he was its most senior Republican member.-Biography:...
. In 1951, President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
appointed him U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. A year later, he resigned to run against U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
. Following his defeat in the 1952 Senate race, he resumed private law practice in Milwaukee. In 1956, he represented alleged Communists before the House Un-American Activities Committee
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
. Later that year, he was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court
Wisconsin Supreme Court
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in the state of Wisconsin. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over original actions, appeals from lower courts, and regulation or administration of the practice of law in Wisconsin.-Location:...
, serving until 1966, when President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
appointed him to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He served as the Court's Chief Judge from 1975 to 1981, and held 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...
from 1981 until his death. His father was Edward T. Fairchild
Edward T. Fairchild (Wisconsin associate justice)
Edward Thomas Fairchild was an American jurist and legislator from Wisconsin.Born in Towanda, Pennsylvania, Fairchild grew up in Dansville, New York, where he was educated...
, who sworn his son in, when he took office in 1957 on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Judge Fairchild died on February 12, 2007 in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
.
Sources
- Wisconsin Court System Biography
- Sander, Libby (2007) Thomas Fairchild, 94, Dies; Tried to Unseat McCarthy, New York Times, February 15, 2007.