David Aldrich Nelson
Encyclopedia
David Aldrich Nelson was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
. Nelson was born at Watertown, New York, the son of Carlton Low Nelson and Irene Demetria Aldrich Nelson. He was educated in the public schools of East Aurora, New York
, and at Hamilton College, from which he was graduated in 1954 as valedictorian
. Nelson began his legal studies that year as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Cambridge
in England. En route to England, he met Mary Dickson, a recent Vassar College
graduate who also was a Cambridge-bound Fulbright Scholar. The couple became engaged in England; they were married for fifty-four years and had three children. Nelson took first class honours at Cambridge in 1955, on the strength of which he was retrospectively made a scholar of his college, Peterhouse.
Nelson received his LL.B. from Harvard Law School
, cum laude, in 1958. Admitted to the bar in that year, he began the practice of law in Cleveland, Ohio
with the firm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey
. From 1959 to 1962 he served on active duty with the United States Air Force at the Pentagon as a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Attorney-advisor, Office of General Counsel. He remained in the Air Force Reserve for several years thereafter, attaining the rank of major.
Admitted to partnership in Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in 1967, Nelson resigned in 1969 to accept appointment by President Richard Nixon
as General Counsel of the Post Office Department. Postmaster General Winton M. Blount
awarded Nelson the Department’s Benjamin Franklin award for his work on what became the Postal Reorganization Act
of 1970. After the enactment of that legislation, Nelson became Senior Assistant Postmaster General and General Counsel of the newly established United States Postal Service.
Nelson rejoined his former law firm in 1972. On September 9, 1985, President Ronald Reagan
nominated him to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on October 16, 1985, and received his commission on October 17, 1985. As a Circuit Judge, Nelson served two terms on the Criminal Law Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States
. He assumed senior status
on October 1, 1999; because of his gradually deteriorating health, he closed his courthouse chambers in 2006.
Nelson was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
, a Life Fellow of the Ohio State Bar Foundation, and a Sergeant Emeritus of the Court of Nisi Prius in Cleveland. He served as a member of the National Council of the Ohio State University College of Law, a trustee of Hamilton College, a director of Blount, Inc., and a director of the Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization, based in Clinton, New York.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20101002/NEWS0104/10030328/1
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
. Nelson was born at Watertown, New York, the son of Carlton Low Nelson and Irene Demetria Aldrich Nelson. He was educated in the public schools of East Aurora, New York
East Aurora, New York
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. The Village of East Aurora lies in the eastern half of the Town of Aurora.The population was 6,673 at the 2000 census...
, and at Hamilton College, from which he was graduated in 1954 as valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
. Nelson began his legal studies that year as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in England. En route to England, he met Mary Dickson, a recent Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
graduate who also was a Cambridge-bound Fulbright Scholar. The couple became engaged in England; they were married for fifty-four years and had three children. Nelson took first class honours at Cambridge in 1955, on the strength of which he was retrospectively made a scholar of his college, Peterhouse.
Nelson received his LL.B. from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, cum laude, in 1958. Admitted to the bar in that year, he began the practice of law in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
with the firm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey is an international legal practice with 36 offices in 17 countries. Squire, Sanders & Dempsey International Association does not itself provide, directly or indirectly, any legal or other client services...
. From 1959 to 1962 he served on active duty with the United States Air Force at the Pentagon as a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Attorney-advisor, Office of General Counsel. He remained in the Air Force Reserve for several years thereafter, attaining the rank of major.
Admitted to partnership in Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in 1967, Nelson resigned in 1969 to accept appointment 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...
as General Counsel of the Post Office Department. Postmaster General Winton M. Blount
Winton M. Blount
Winton Malcolm "Red" Blount, Jr. was the United States Postmaster General from 1969-1972. He is also known as the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of the large construction company Blount International....
awarded Nelson the Department’s Benjamin Franklin award for his work on what became the Postal Reorganization Act
Postal Reorganization Act
The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 abolished the United States Post Office Department, a part of the cabinet, and created the United States Postal Service, a corporation-like independent agency with an official monopoly on the delivery of mail in the United States. was signed by President...
of 1970. After the enactment of that legislation, Nelson became Senior Assistant Postmaster General and General Counsel of the newly established United States Postal Service.
Nelson rejoined his former law firm in 1972. On September 9, 1985, 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....
nominated him to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333. He 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 October 16, 1985, and received his commission on October 17, 1985. As a Circuit Judge, Nelson served two terms on the Criminal Law Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States
Judicial Conference of the United States
The Judicial Conference of the United States, formerly known as Conference of Senior Circuit Judges, was created by the United States Congress in 1922 with the principal objective of framing policy guidelines for administration of judicial courts in the United States...
. He 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 October 1, 1999; because of his gradually deteriorating health, he closed his courthouse chambers in 2006.
Nelson was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
American College of Trial Lawyers
The American College of Trial Lawyers is a professional association of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Founded in 1950, the College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession...
, a Life Fellow of the Ohio State Bar Foundation, and a Sergeant Emeritus of the Court of Nisi Prius in Cleveland. He served as a member of the National Council of the Ohio State University College of Law, a trustee of Hamilton College, a director of Blount, Inc., and a director of the Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization, based in Clinton, New York.
Sources
Quan Truong, "Judge David Nelson a 'truly good man,'" Cincinnati Enquirer Oct. 2, 2010,http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20101002/NEWS0104/10030328/1