John Garrett Penn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Garrett Penn
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| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia | |
| In office March 31, 1998 – September 9, 2007 |
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| Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia | |
| In office 1992–1997 |
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| Preceded by | Aubrey Eugene Robinson Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Norma Holloway Johnson |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia | |
| In office March 23, 1979 – March 31, 1998 |
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| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Joseph Cornelius Waddy |
| Succeeded by | Ellen Segal Huvelle |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Garrett Penn
March 19, 1932 Pittsfield, Massachusetts |
| Died | September 9, 2007 (aged 75) Washington, D.C. |
| Education | Princeton University University of Massachusetts Amherst (AB) Boston University School of Law (LLB) |
John Garrett Penn (born March 19, 1932, died September 9, 2007) was an important judge in the United States. He worked for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, which is a special court in Washington, D.C.
John Penn's Early Life and Education
John Penn was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His father worked as a machinist, which is someone who operates machines.
He went to Princeton University and then the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He earned a degree there in 1954. John first studied chemistry, but he changed his focus to law. This decision was influenced by the civil rights movement happening at the time.
In 1957, he earned a law degree from Boston University School of Law. After law school, he joined the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. This is a group of lawyers who work for the U.S. Army. He served there from 1958 to 1961.
Career in Law and Justice
In 1961, John Penn started working for the United States Department of Justice. He joined the tax division, which handles legal cases about taxes. He became an assistant chief in one of its sections.
He also worked as a trial attorney from 1961 to 1965. A trial attorney represents people or the government in court. From 1965 to 1968, he worked as a reviewer.
Later, he became a judge for different courts in Washington, D.C. He was a judge for the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions from 1970 to 1971. Then, he served as an associate judge for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia from 1971 to 1979.
Becoming a Federal Judge
President Jimmy Carter chose John Penn to be a federal judge on January 19, 1979. He was nominated for a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. This seat became open after Judge Joseph Cornelius Waddy left.
The United States Senate then had to approve his nomination. They confirmed him on March 21, 1979. This meant he was officially approved for the job. He received his commission, which is his official appointment, on March 23, 1979.
He served as the Chief Judge of the court from 1992 to 1997. The Chief Judge is the main leader of the court. On March 31, 1998, he took on "senior status." This means he continued to work as a judge but with a reduced workload.
John Penn served in this role until he passed away on September 9, 2007. He died in Washington, D.C..
