John W. Sedwick
Encyclopedia
John W. Sedwick is an American lawyer
and judge
. He is currently a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Alaska
.
Sedwick was born in 1946 in Kittanning, Pennsylvania
. He attended Dartmouth College
where he received a B.A. in 1968. He then served in the United States Air Force
as a Sergeant
, 1969-1971. He graduated with a J.D. from Harvard Law School
in 1972. Later, he went into private practice in Anchorage, Alaska
, 1972-1981. He then served as the Director, Division of Land and Water Management, Department of Natural Resources, State of Alaska
, 1981-82. He returned to private practice, 1982-1992.
Sedwick was nominated by George H.W. Bush on July 2, 1992 as a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska to a seat vacated by Andrew J. Kleinfeld. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on October 8, 1992, and received his commission on October 9, 1992. He has served as chief judge, 2002-2009. On March 13, 2011, John W. Sedwick assumed senior status
and created a vacancy on the court.
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
. He is currently a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Alaska
United States District Court for the District of Alaska
The United States District Court for the District of Alaska is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Alaska. Offices are located in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Nome...
.
Sedwick was born in 1946 in Kittanning, Pennsylvania
Kittanning, Pennsylvania
Kittanning is a borough and the county seat of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River. The name means "at the great stream" in the Delaware language...
. He attended 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...
where he received a B.A. in 1968. He then served in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
as a Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
, 1969-1971. He graduated with a J.D. 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 1972. Later, he went into private practice in Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
, 1972-1981. He then served as the Director, Division of Land and Water Management, Department of Natural Resources, State of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, 1981-82. He returned to private practice, 1982-1992.
Sedwick was nominated by George H.W. Bush on July 2, 1992 as a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska to a seat vacated by Andrew J. Kleinfeld. 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 8, 1992, and received his commission on October 9, 1992. He has served as chief judge, 2002-2009. On March 13, 2011, John W. Sedwick 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...
and created a vacancy on the court.