H. Lee Sarokin
Encyclopedia
Haddon Lee Sarokin is a retired U.S. district judge and U.S. appeals court judge. Sarokin served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1994 until 1996.
and raised in Maplewood, New Jersey
, Sarokin is the son of a newspaperman who named him after Haddison Ivins, who had been the editor of the Hudson Dispatch. "It's a dreadful name, which I dropped," Sarokin told the New York Times in 1985. JUDGE WITH ACERBIC PEN; HADDON LEE SAROKIN - Free Preview - The New York Times]
Sarokin earned a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College
in 1950 and a law degree from Harvard Law School
in 1953.
from 1955 until 1979. He also concurrently served as an assistant counsel for Union County, New Jersey, from 1959 until 1965.
, who was running for a U.S. Senate seat to represent New Jersey. After Bradley won, he recommended Sarokin for a federal judgeship. On September 28, 1979, President Carter nominated Sarokin to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey that had been vacated by Lawrence Whipple. The U.S. Senate confirmed Sarokin on October 31, 1979.
In 1985, Sarokin famously overturned the 1967 triple murder conviction of middleweight boxer Rubin Carter
. Sarokin had ruled that Carter had not received a fair trial.
In 1988, Sarokin presided over a landmark cigarette liability lawsuit that resulted in a $400,000 payment to the estate of Rose Cipollone, who died in 1984 after smoking for 40 years. Although the case was reversed on appeal, it was the first cash award ever in a case involving a death from smoking.
In 1991, Sarokin ruled that a homeless man could not be barred from a public library in Morristown, New Jersey
because of his odor. That order eventually was overturned.
On October 4, 1994, the U.S. Senate voted 63-35 to confirm Sarokin to the seat on the Third Circuit.
In early 1996, Sarokin sought to retire and assume senior status
, which means a reduced caseload. As part of shifting to senior status, Sarokin asked to move his chambers from New Jersey to California to be closer to his children. On April 24, 1996, an 11-member council of the Third Circuit denied Sarokin's request, citing federal guidelines relating to judicial office space.
In a speech in April 1996, presidential candidate Bob Dole
cited Sarokin as one of six federal appellate and district judges that Clinton had appointed to the federal courts that Dole had deemed to be liberal activist judges. The others were Harold Baer, Jr.
, Rosemary Barkett
, M. Blane Michael
, Leonie Brinkema
and Raymond A. Jackson
.
On June 5, 1996, Sarokin announced that he would resign outright from the Third Circuit, effective July 31, 1996. Sarokin cited his fear that his opinions from the bench might be used politically. "It is apparent that there are those who have decided to 'Willie Hortonize' the Federal judiciary, and that I am to be one of their prime targets," he wrote in a letter to President Clinton. "In the current political campaign, enforcement of constitutional rights is equated with being soft on crime and indeed, even causing it."
In a separate letter to colleagues, Sarokin denied that his decision to retire had had anything to do with the court's decision not to allow him to move his chambers to California.
, where he had chosen to live in retirement.
In 2000, after a movie came out starring Denzel Washington
about Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Sarokin told the Newark Star-Ledger in an article that appeared on February 10, 2000, that "[a]fter reviewing the record [in 1985], I had my doubts that Carter and [co-defendant John] Artis were guilty. That's been confirmed by my appearances with Carter. If he is guilty, he's the greatest actor in the world and should win an Academy Award, not Denzel Washington," Sarokin told the paper.
Early life and education
Born in Perth Amboy, New JerseyPerth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
and raised in Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 23,867.-History:...
, Sarokin is the son of a newspaperman who named him after Haddison Ivins, who had been the editor of the Hudson Dispatch. "It's a dreadful name, which I dropped," Sarokin told the New York Times in 1985. JUDGE WITH ACERBIC PEN; HADDON LEE SAROKIN - Free Preview - The New York Times]
Sarokin earned a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1950 and a law degree 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...
in 1953.
Private practice
Sarokin worked in private practice in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
from 1955 until 1979. He also concurrently served as an assistant counsel for Union County, New Jersey, from 1959 until 1965.
Work as a U.S. District judge
In 1978, Sarokin worked as the finance chairman for his friend Bill BradleyBill Bradley
William Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
, who was running for a U.S. Senate seat to represent New Jersey. After Bradley won, he recommended Sarokin for a federal judgeship. On September 28, 1979, President Carter nominated Sarokin to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey that had been vacated by Lawrence Whipple. The U.S. Senate confirmed Sarokin on October 31, 1979.
In 1985, Sarokin famously overturned the 1967 triple murder conviction of middleweight boxer Rubin Carter
Rubin Carter
Rubin "Hurricane" Carter fought professionally as a middleweight boxer from 1961 to 1966. In 1966, he was arrested for a triple homicide in the Lafayette Bar and Grill in Paterson, New Jersey...
. Sarokin had ruled that Carter had not received a fair trial.
In 1988, Sarokin presided over a landmark cigarette liability lawsuit that resulted in a $400,000 payment to the estate of Rose Cipollone, who died in 1984 after smoking for 40 years. Although the case was reversed on appeal, it was the first cash award ever in a case involving a death from smoking.
In 1991, Sarokin ruled that a homeless man could not be barred from a public library in Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
because of his odor. That order eventually was overturned.
Nomination to the Third Circuit and Work on the Third Circuit
On May 5, 1994, President Clinton nominated Sarokin to a newly created seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.On October 4, 1994, the U.S. Senate voted 63-35 to confirm Sarokin to the seat on the Third Circuit.
In early 1996, Sarokin sought to retire and assume 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...
, which means a reduced caseload. As part of shifting to senior status, Sarokin asked to move his chambers from New Jersey to California to be closer to his children. On April 24, 1996, an 11-member council of the Third Circuit denied Sarokin's request, citing federal guidelines relating to judicial office space.
In a speech in April 1996, presidential candidate Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
cited Sarokin as one of six federal appellate and district judges that Clinton had appointed to the federal courts that Dole had deemed to be liberal activist judges. The others were Harold Baer, Jr.
Harold Baer, Jr.
Harold Baer, Jr. is a Federal District Judge in the Southern District of New York. He received his BA from Hobart College in 1954, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He received his LLB from Yale Law School in 1957....
, Rosemary Barkett
Rosemary Barkett
Rosemary Barkett is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Prior to her nomination for that post, she was Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, where she was the first woman ever to serve on that court.- Background :Barkett has had an unusual career...
, M. Blane Michael
M. Blane Michael
Martin Blane Michael was a Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He was nominated by President Bill Clinton on August 6, 1993, to a seat vacated by James Marshall Sprouse...
, Leonie Brinkema
Leonie Brinkema
Leonie M. Brinkema is a United States District Court judge, in the Eastern District of Virginia.-Early life and education:...
and Raymond A. Jackson
Raymond Alvin Jackson
Raymond Alvin Jackson is a United States federal judge.Born in Sussex, Virginia, Jackson received a B.A. from Norfolk State University in 1970 and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1973. He was in the United States Army Captain, JAG Corps from 1973 to 1977. U.S. Army Reserve...
.
On June 5, 1996, Sarokin announced that he would resign outright from the Third Circuit, effective July 31, 1996. Sarokin cited his fear that his opinions from the bench might be used politically. "It is apparent that there are those who have decided to 'Willie Hortonize' the Federal judiciary, and that I am to be one of their prime targets," he wrote in a letter to President Clinton. "In the current political campaign, enforcement of constitutional rights is equated with being soft on crime and indeed, even causing it."
In a separate letter to colleagues, Sarokin denied that his decision to retire had had anything to do with the court's decision not to allow him to move his chambers to California.
Retirement
Just a few weeks before retiring from the bench, Sarokin purchased a house in Rancho Santa Fe, CaliforniaRancho Santa Fe, California
Rancho Santa Fe known locally as ″The Ranch″, is one of the most exclusive and affluent communities in Southern California. It is also a census-designated place in San Diego County, California and an unincorporated bedroom community of San Diego County...
, where he had chosen to live in retirement.
In 2000, after a movie came out starring Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
about Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Sarokin told the Newark Star-Ledger in an article that appeared on February 10, 2000, that "[a]fter reviewing the record [in 1985], I had my doubts that Carter and [co-defendant John] Artis were guilty. That's been confirmed by my appearances with Carter. If he is guilty, he's the greatest actor in the world and should win an Academy Award, not Denzel Washington," Sarokin told the paper.