John T. Noonan Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John T. Noonan Jr.
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| Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
| In office December 27, 1996 – April 17, 2017 |
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| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
| In office December 17, 1985 – December 27, 1996 |
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| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Seat established by 98 Stat. 333 |
| Succeeded by | Marsha Berzon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Thomas Noonan Jr.
October 24, 1926 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | April 17, 2017 (aged 90) Berkeley, California |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, LLB) University of Cambridge The Catholic University of America (MA, PhD) |
John Thomas Noonan Jr. (October 24, 1926 – April 17, 2017) was an important judge in the United States. He served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which is a very busy court that hears cases from several western states.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John T. Noonan Jr. was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He went to school there before attending Harvard University. He was a very bright student and graduated from Harvard with a degree in English after just two years. While at Harvard, he wrote for the student newspaper, the Harvard Crimson.
After Harvard, he studied at Cambridge University in England. He then earned two more degrees, a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy, from The Catholic University of America. Later, he went back to Harvard for law school, where he was part of the Harvard Law Review. In 1967, he married Mary Lee Bennett, an art historian, and they had three children.
Career as a Lawyer and Professor
After finishing law school, Noonan worked for the United States National Security Council for a year. This group advises the President on national security and foreign policy. He then worked as a lawyer in Boston.
From 1958 to 1962, he led the Redevelopment Authority in Brookline, Massachusetts. This group worked on improving the town.
In 1961, Noonan became a professor at the Notre Dame Law School. He later moved to the University of California, Berkeley's law school, where he taught for many years.
Important Cases as a Lawyer
While teaching at Berkeley, Noonan helped a Catholic man named John Negre. Negre was a conscientious objector, meaning he believed his religion prevented him from fighting in the Vietnam War. Noonan argued his case, but the Supreme Court of the United States eventually ruled against Negre in 1971.
Noonan was also recognized for his service to the Roman Catholic Church. In 1984, he received the Laetare Medal from Notre Dame University. He also advised various Catholic Church groups on moral issues and law.
Becoming a Federal Judge
On October 16, 1985, President Ronald Reagan chose John Noonan to become a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The United States Senate approved his nomination, and he officially became a judge on December 17, 1985.
He served as a judge until his death in 2017. In 1996, he took "senior status," which means he continued to work but with a reduced caseload.
Judges' Assistants
Many judges have special assistants called law clerks. These are usually recent law school graduates who help the judge with research and writing. Some of John Noonan's former law clerks went on to have important careers themselves. They include other judges, professors, and even a well-known radio host.
Key Decisions as a Judge
Judge Noonan was involved in many important legal cases during his time on the Ninth Circuit. Here are a few examples:
- Lazo-Majano v. INS (1987): In this case, Judge Noonan wrote an opinion that helped a woman from El Salvador gain asylum in the United States. Asylum is protection given by a country to someone who has fled their home country because of danger. His decision was important for how courts understand why people seek safety.
- EEOC v. Townley Eng'r & Mfg. Co. (1988): This case was about a company that required its employees to attend prayer services. The court ruled that the company could not force employees to do this, protecting religious freedom. Judge Noonan disagreed with the majority in this case.
- Harris v. Vazquez (1990): Judge Noonan made a ruling in a complex case that paused a legal process to ensure a person had received proper mental health help during their defense. This decision was praised by some who believed it showed the importance of fairness in the legal system. However, others, including California's Governor at the time, disagreed with the delay. The Supreme Court of the United States later ordered the Ninth Circuit to stop issuing similar pauses in this type of case.
- United States v. Kyllo (1999): This case was about whether police could use a special thermal camera to look inside someone's home without a warrant. The Ninth Circuit initially said it was allowed. However, Judge Noonan disagreed, saying that using such technology to see inside a home was like a "search" and needed a warrant. The Supreme Court of the United States later agreed with Judge Noonan, saying that using thermal imagers was indeed a search that required permission.
- United States v. Arizona (2011): Judge Noonan was part of a decision that blocked parts of a state law in Arizona that aimed to control immigration. He agreed with the decision, noting that such laws could be a difficult challenge for immigrants. The Supreme Court of the United States later partly upheld this decision.
- United States v. Black et al. (2013): This case involved a "reverse sting operation" where the government set up a situation to catch people involved in illegal activities. The defendants argued that the government went too far in planning the operation. The court upheld the convictions, but Judge Noonan was part of a group of judges who wanted the case to be re-examined by the full court.
Awards and Recognition
John Noonan received many honors and awards throughout his life for his work in law and philosophy. Some of these include:
- Guggenheim Fellowship (1965–66, 1979-80)
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (1976)
- Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame (1984)
- Civitas Dei Medal from Villanova University (2013)
Books and Writings
Judge Noonan was also a very active writer. He wrote many books and articles on a wide range of topics, including law, history, and moral ideas. His writings explored complex ideas in a way that made them understandable to many people. Some of his major books include:
- The Scholastic Analysis of Usury (1957)
- Power to Dissolve: Lawyers and Marriages in the Courts of the Roman Curia (1972)
- Bribes: The Intellectual History of a Moral Idea (1984)
- The Antelope: The Ordeal of the Recaptured Africans in the Administrations of John Quincy Adams & James Monroe (1990)
- The Lustre of Our Country: The American Experience of Religious Freedom (1998)
- A Church That Can And Cannot Change: The Development of Catholic Moral Teaching (2005)
