John Watkins Oliver
Encyclopedia
John Watkins Oliver was a United States federal judge
.
Born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri
, Oliver received an A.B.
from the University of Missouri
in 1933 and an LL.B. from the University of Missouri School of Law
in 1936. He was in private practice in Kansas City, Missouri
from 1936 to 1962.
On March 5, 1962, Oliver was nominated by President John F. Kennedy
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
vacated by R. Jasper Smith. Oliver was confirmed by the United States Senate
on April 2, 1962, and received his commission the following day. He served as chief judge from 1977 to 1980, assuming senior status
on November 3, 1980 and serving in that capacity until his death, in Kansas City.
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 Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
, Oliver received an A.B.
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...
from the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in 1933 and an LL.B. from the University of Missouri School of Law
University of Missouri School of Law
University of Missouri School of Law is the law school of the University of Missouri, a state university in the U.S. State of Missouri. It is located on the university's main campus in Columbia, forty minutes from the Missouri State Capitol and Supreme Court in Jefferson City...
in 1936. He was in private practice in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
from 1936 to 1962.
On March 5, 1962, Oliver was nominated by President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
The United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri is the federal judicial district encompassing 66 counties in the western half of the State of Missouri...
vacated by R. Jasper Smith. Oliver 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 April 2, 1962, and received his commission the following day. He served as chief judge from 1977 to 1980, assuming 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 November 3, 1980 and serving in that capacity until his death, in Kansas City.