Richard Owen (judge)
Encyclopedia
Richard Owen is a United States federal judge
.
Born to an opera-loving attorney, he grew up in New York, New York. Owen was in the United States Army Air Corps
from 1942–45, and then received an A.B.
from Dartmouth College
in 1945. He received an LL.B. from Harvard Law School
in 1950, and entered private practice in New York City from 1950-53. He was also an assistant professor at New York Law School
from 1951-53. In 1953, he became an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, also serving as a special assistant U.S. attorney general in 1954. He was a senior trial attorney in the Antitrust
Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1955-58. He returned to private practice in New York City from 1958–74, also working as associate counsel to the New York State Commission on Alcoholic Beverage Laws from 1963-64. His wife is an operatic soprano, Wisconsin-born Lynn Rasmussen Owen, whom he married in 1960.
On November 15, 1973, Owen was nominated by President Richard M. Nixon to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
vacated by Edward C. McLean. Owen was confirmed by the United States Senate
on December 13, 1973, and received his commission on December 19, 1973. He assumed senior status
on September 30, 1989.
and Robert Starer
. His opera Abagail Adams, based on the lives of the second president
and his wife
, was first produced in 1987. Five of his art song
s were published by the General Music Publishing Company between 1962 and 1973; they are known for their declamation and dramatic qualities.
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 to an opera-loving attorney, he grew up in New York, New York. Owen was in the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
from 1942–45, and then 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 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 1945. He received an 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...
in 1950, and entered private practice in New York City from 1950-53. He was also an assistant professor at New York Law School
New York Law School
New York Law School is a private law school in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. New York Law School is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. The school is located within four blocks of all major courts in Manhattan. In 2011, New York Law School...
from 1951-53. In 1953, he became an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, also serving as a special assistant U.S. attorney general in 1954. He was a senior trial attorney in the Antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1955-58. He returned to private practice in New York City from 1958–74, also working as associate counsel to the New York State Commission on Alcoholic Beverage Laws from 1963-64. His wife is an operatic soprano, Wisconsin-born Lynn Rasmussen Owen, whom he married in 1960.
On November 15, 1973, Owen was nominated by President Richard M. Nixon to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
vacated by Edward C. McLean. Owen 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 December 13, 1973, and received his commission on December 19, 1973. 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 September 30, 1989.
Musical career
Owen is also a composer, and he has "dabbled in music all his life". He studied piano as a child and again once he finished law school. He studied composition with Vittorio GianniniVittorio Giannini
Vittorio Giannini was a neoromantic American composer of operas, songs, symphonies, and band works.-Life and work:...
and Robert Starer
Robert Starer
Robert Starer was an Austrian-born American composer and pianist.Robert Starer began studying the piano at age 4 and continued his studies at the Vienna State Academy...
. His opera Abagail Adams, based on the lives of the second president
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
and his wife
Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, who was the second President of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth...
, was first produced in 1987. Five of his art song
Art song
An art song is a vocal music composition, usually written for one voice with piano or orchestral accompaniment. By extension, the term "art song" is used to refer to the genre of such songs....
s were published by the General Music Publishing Company between 1962 and 1973; they are known for their declamation and dramatic qualities.
Published songs
- The Impulse (1966, text by Robert FrostRobert FrostRobert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
) - I Saw a Man Pursuing the Horizon (1966, text by Stephen CraneStephen CraneStephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism...
) - Patterns (1973, text by Amy LowellAmy LowellAmy Lawrence Lowell was an American poet of the imagist school from Brookline, Massachusetts who posthumously won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1926.- Personal life:...
) - There were many who went in Huddled Procession (1966, text by Stephen CraneStephen CraneStephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism...
) - Till we watch the Last Low Star (1962, text by Witter BynnerWitter BynnerHarold Witter Bynner was an American poet, writer and scholar, known for his long residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at what is now the Inn of the Turquoise Bear.-Early life:...
)
Operas and other musical works
- Dismissed With Prejudice, opera, mid-1950's, presented under the auspices of the New York City Bar Association
- A Moment of War, one-act opera, 1958
- A Fisherman Called Peter, sacred concert piece/opera, 1965
- Mary Dyer, opera, 1976
- The Death of the Virgin, opera, 1983
- Abigail Adams, opera, 1987
- Tom Sawyer, opera, 1989