Dominick L. DiCarlo
Encyclopedia
Dominick Leonard DiCarlo (1928–1999) was a member of the New York State Assembly
, 1965–81; Ronald Reagan
's first Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics Matters, 1981–84; and a United States federal judge
, 1984-1999.
His son Robert DiCarlo
served as a New York State Senator
from 1993-1997.
on March 11, 1928 and raised in the Bay Ridge
neighborhood. He was educated at St. John's College, receiving a B.A.
in 1950. He then attended the St. John's University School of Law
, graduating with an LL.B. in 1953. He was admitted to the bar of New York
in 1954. He completed his education at the New York University School of Law
, receiving an LL.M. in 1957.
A practicing attorney since 1954, in 1959 he became an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
. In this capacity, in 1960 he became Chief of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section. He left the United States Department of Justice
in 1962. From 1962 to 1965, he was counsel to the minority leader
of the New York City Council
.
In 1965, DiCarlo was elected to the New York State Assembly
as a Republican
. He would serve in the New York State Assembly until 1981. In 1969-70, he was vice chairman of the New York Joint Legislative Committee on Crime; from 1971 to 1974, he chaired the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Codes and was an ex officio member of the New York Law Revision Commission
and the Judicial Conference of the State of New York
; and in 1972-73, he was vice chairman of the Select Committee on Correctional Institutions and Programs which was appointed in the wake of the Attica Prison riot. In 1973, he was the only Republican in the New York State Assembly who voted against the Rockefeller drug laws
. From 1975 to 1978, he was deputy minority leader
of the New York State Assembly.
In July 1981, President
Ronald Reagan
announced his intention to nominate DiCarlo as Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics Matters. Following Senate confirmation, DiCarlo held this office from September 25, 1981 until July 13, 1984. He spent much of his time in office trying to persuade foreign leaders to supplant fields of opium poppies with other crops.
On May 25, 1984, President Reagan nominated DiCarlo to replace Bernard Newman
as a judge on the United States Court of International Trade
; he was confirmed by the Senate and received his commission on June 11. President George H. W. Bush
promoted DiCarlo to chief judge
of the United States Court of International Trade, a position he held until October 31, 1996, at which time he assumed senior status
.
DiCarlo died on April 27, 1999 after suffering a heart attack while exercising in the gym at the James L. Watson Court of International Trade Building. He was 71 years old.
The Annual DiCarlo Lecture in International Law
at John Marshall Law School
is named in his honor.
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
, 1965–81; 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....
's first Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics Matters, 1981–84; and a United States federal judge
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....
, 1984-1999.
His son Robert DiCarlo
Robert DiCarlo
Robert J. "Bob" DiCarlo is a former Republican Party lawmaker from Brooklyn, New York who served in the New York State Senate from 1993 to 1996 representing Bay Ridge in Brooklyn as well as Staten Island's East Shore....
served as a New York State Senator
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
from 1993-1997.
Biography
Dominick L. DiCarlo was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
on March 11, 1928 and raised in the Bay Ridge
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Bay Ridge is a neighborhood in the southwest corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. It is bounded by Sunset Park on the north, Seventh Avenue and Dyker Heights on the east, The Narrows Strait, which partially houses the Belt Parkway, on the west and 86th Street and Fort Hamilton on...
neighborhood. He was educated at St. John's College, receiving a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1950. He then attended the St. John's University School of Law
St. John's University School of Law
St. John's University School of Law is a Roman Catholic law school in Queens, New York City, affiliated with St. John's University. The School of Law was founded in 1925, and confers Juris Doctor degrees and degrees for Master of Laws in Bankruptcy and Master of Laws in U.S. Studies. Over 13,000 St...
, graduating with an LL.B. in 1953. He was admitted to the bar of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1954. He completed his education at the New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
, receiving an LL.M. in 1957.
A practicing attorney since 1954, in 1959 he became an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York is the chief federal law enforcement officer in five New York counties: Kings , Queens, Richmond , Nassau and Suffolk. The current incumbent is Loretta E. Lynch, who was appointed by President Barack Obama on January 20, 2010,...
. In this capacity, in 1960 he became Chief of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section. He left the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
in 1962. From 1962 to 1965, he was counsel to the minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
of the New York City Council
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
.
In 1965, DiCarlo was elected to the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He would serve in the New York State Assembly until 1981. In 1969-70, he was vice chairman of the New York Joint Legislative Committee on Crime; from 1971 to 1974, he chaired the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Codes and was an ex officio member of the New York Law Revision Commission
New York Law Revision Commission
The New York State Law Revision Commission is the oldest continuous agency in the common law world devoted to law reform through legislation.-Legal mandate:...
and the Judicial Conference of the State of New York
Judicial Conference of the State of New York
The Judicial Conference of the State of New York was created in 1955. Members include the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and judges from the Appellate Divisions.-History:...
; and in 1972-73, he was vice chairman of the Select Committee on Correctional Institutions and Programs which was appointed in the wake of the Attica Prison riot. In 1973, he was the only Republican in the New York State Assembly who voted against the Rockefeller drug laws
Rockefeller drug laws
The Rockefeller Drug Laws is the term used to denote the statutes dealing with the sale and possession of "narcotic" drugs in the New York State Penal Law. The laws are named after Nelson Rockefeller, who was the state's governor at the time the laws were adopted...
. From 1975 to 1978, he was deputy minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
of the New York State Assembly.
In July 1981, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
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....
announced his intention to nominate DiCarlo as Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics Matters. Following Senate confirmation, DiCarlo held this office from September 25, 1981 until July 13, 1984. He spent much of his time in office trying to persuade foreign leaders to supplant fields of opium poppies with other crops.
On May 25, 1984, President Reagan nominated DiCarlo to replace Bernard Newman
Bernard Newman (judge)
Bernard Newman was a judge on the United States Court of International Trade.-Biography:Bernard Newman was born in New York, at the same address as Louis Lefkowitz, the later New York State Attorney General, who would become his friend.Newman studied law at New York University...
as a judge on the United States Court of International Trade
United States Court of International Trade
The United States Court of International Trade is an Article III court, with full powers in law and equity. The Customs Court Act of 1980 replaced the old United States Customs Court with the United States Court of International Trade. The Court has nine sitting Judges, as well as Senior Judges...
; he was confirmed by the Senate and received his commission on June 11. President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
promoted DiCarlo to chief judge
Chief judge
Chief Judge is a title that can refer to the highest-ranking judge of a court that has more than one judge. The meaning and usage of the term vary from one court system to another...
of the United States Court of International Trade, a position he held until October 31, 1996, at which time 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...
.
DiCarlo died on April 27, 1999 after suffering a heart attack while exercising in the gym at the James L. Watson Court of International Trade Building. He was 71 years old.
The Annual DiCarlo Lecture in International Law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
at John Marshall Law School
John Marshall Law School (Chicago)
The John Marshall Law School is a law school in Chicago, Illinois, that was founded in 1899 and accredited by the American Bar Association in 1941. The school was named for the influential nineteenth century U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall....
is named in his honor.