A. Joe Fish
Encyclopedia
Allen Joe Fish is a senior United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas
in Dallas, Texas
.
Born in Los Angeles, California
, Fish received his B.A.
from Yale College
in 1965 and his LL.B from Yale Law School
in 1968. He was a Sergeant in the United States Army
Reserve from 1968 to 1974, and was in private practice in Dallas, Texas, from 1968 to 1980. In 1980 he was elected to the 95th Judicial District Court of Dallas County, Texas. From 1981 to 1983 he was a judge on the Fifth District of the Texas Court of Appeals in Dallas.
On January 31, 1983, Fish was nominated by President Ronald Reagan
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
vacated by Patrick E. Higginbotham. Fish was confirmed by the United States Senate
less than a month later, on February 23, 1983, and received his commission the following day. He served as chief judge of the district from 2002 to 2007, assuming senior status
on November 12, 2007.
United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas is a United States district court. Its first judge, Andrew Phelps McCormick, was appointed to the court on April 10, 1879. The court convenes in Dallas, Texas with divisions in Fort Worth, Amarillo, Abilene, Lubbock, San Angelo...
in Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Born in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Fish received his B.A.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Yale College
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1965 and his LL.B from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1968. He was a Sergeant in the United States 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...
Reserve from 1968 to 1974, and was in private practice in Dallas, Texas, from 1968 to 1980. In 1980 he was elected to the 95th Judicial District Court of Dallas County, Texas. From 1981 to 1983 he was a judge on the Fifth District of the Texas Court of Appeals in Dallas.
On January 31, 1983, Fish 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....
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas is a United States district court. Its first judge, Andrew Phelps McCormick, was appointed to the court on April 10, 1879. The court convenes in Dallas, Texas with divisions in Fort Worth, Amarillo, Abilene, Lubbock, San Angelo...
vacated by Patrick E. Higginbotham. Fish 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...
less than a month later, on February 23, 1983, and received his commission the following day. He served as chief judge of the district from 2002 to 2007, 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 November 12, 2007.