Bruce Van Sickle
Encyclopedia
Bruce Marion Van Sickle was a United States federal judge
.
Born in Minot, North Dakota
, Van Sickle received a B.S.L.
from the University of Minnesota
in 1939 and a J.D.
from the University of Minnesota Law School
in 1941. He was a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II
, from 1941 to 1945. He was then an adjudicator in the U.S. Veterans Administration in Seattle, Washington
in 1946, and a title attorney for Bonneville Power in Portland, Oregon
from 1946 to 1947. He was in private practice in Minot, North Dakota from 1947 to 1971. He was a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
from 1957 to 1959.
On December 10, 1971, Van Sickle was nominated by President Richard Nixon
to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota
vacated by George S. Register. Van Sickle was confirmed by the United States Senate
on December 11, 1971, and received his commission on December 15, 1971. In 1982, he was appointed to preside over a civil rights case in the federal court for the Western District of Arkansas in which it was claimed that the state court in Fort Smith, Arkansas
was sentencing people to jail if they were financially unable to pay a fine, e.g., the alternative sentence of $50 or five days in jail even though the state and federal courts had ruled such a sentence to be in violation of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the American Constitution. Van Sickle, a Republican, ruled the practice unconstitutional and hit Fort Smith
with an award to the Plaintiff of attorney fees; his injunction ended the practice. As he told the Plaintiff's lawyer, Greg Karber, by way of encouraging suits against institutional impropriety, "the bigger they are, the louder they pop", when poked. It was, in part, the motivation Karber needed to pursue other civil rights cases for decades thereafter.
Van Sickle assumed senior status
on February 28, 1985, and served in that capacity until his death, in 2007, in Bismarck, North Dakota
.
He was survived by his wife, Dorothy; four children; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and five siblings.
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....
.
Born in Minot, North Dakota
Minot, North Dakota
Minot is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state...
, Van Sickle received a B.S.L.
Bachelor of Science in Law
The Bachelor of Science in Law is a somewhat special-purpose undergraduate degree that is typically intended for students who have completed some undergraduate education, but not received a baccalaureate degree, and are intending to resume their education and commence the study of law, ultimately...
from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1939 and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Minnesota Law School
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota Law School, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, is a professional school of the University of Minnesota. The school offers a Juris Doctor , Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers, and joint degrees with J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A, J.D./M.A., J.D./M.S., J.D./Ph.D.,...
in 1941. He was a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps 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 1941 to 1945. He was then an adjudicator in the U.S. Veterans Administration in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
in 1946, and a title attorney for Bonneville Power in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
from 1946 to 1947. He was in private practice in Minot, North Dakota from 1947 to 1971. He was a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
North Dakota House of Representatives
The North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and is larger than the North Dakota Senate....
from 1957 to 1959.
On December 10, 1971, Van Sickle was nominated by President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota
United States District Court for the District of North Dakota
The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota is the United States District Court or the Federal district court, whose jurisdiction is the state of North Dakota. The court is headquartered out of Fargo and has additional locations at Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot...
vacated by George S. Register. Van Sickle 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 December 11, 1971, and received his commission on December 15, 1971. In 1982, he was appointed to preside over a civil rights case in the federal court for the Western District of Arkansas in which it was claimed that the state court in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
was sentencing people to jail if they were financially unable to pay a fine, e.g., the alternative sentence of $50 or five days in jail even though the state and federal courts had ruled such a sentence to be in violation of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the American Constitution. Van Sickle, a Republican, ruled the practice unconstitutional and hit Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
with an award to the Plaintiff of attorney fees; his injunction ended the practice. As he told the Plaintiff's lawyer, Greg Karber, by way of encouraging suits against institutional impropriety, "the bigger they are, the louder they pop", when poked. It was, in part, the motivation Karber needed to pursue other civil rights cases for decades thereafter.
Van Sickle 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 February 28, 1985, and served in that capacity until his death, in 2007, in Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779...
.
Personal life
Van Sickle was a member of, among other groups, the Elks, the Toastmasters, the Shriners, and the Geriatric Trail Club.He was survived by his wife, Dorothy; four children; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and five siblings.