Lawrence W. Pierce facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lawrence W. Pierce
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| Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit | |
| In office January 1, 1990 – March 31, 1995 |
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| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit | |
| In office November 18, 1981 – January 1, 1990 |
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| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Murray Gurfein |
| Succeeded by | Joseph M. McLaughlin |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York | |
| In office May 20, 1971 – November 30, 1981 |
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| Appointed by | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | William Bernard Herlands |
| Succeeded by | Shirley Wohl Kram |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Lawrence Warren Pierce
December 31, 1924 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | February 5, 2020 (aged 95) Boca Raton, Florida |
| Education | Saint Joseph's University (BS) Fordham University School of Law (LLB) |
Lawrence Warren Pierce (born December 31, 1924, died February 5, 2020) was an important judge in the United States. He served on two different federal courts. First, he was a judge for the Southern District of New York. Later, he became a judge for the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. These are high-level courts in the American legal system.
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Early Life and Education
Lawrence Pierce was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went to St. Joseph's University and earned a science degree in 1948. After that, he studied law at Fordham University School of Law, getting his law degree in 1951.
Before becoming a lawyer, Pierce served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946. He was part of the 92nd Infantry Division and fought in Italy during World War II. He rose to the rank of sergeant.
Career Before Becoming a Judge
After law school, Pierce worked as a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society in New York City from 1951 to 1953. He then became an assistant district attorney in Kings County, New York, from 1954 to 1961.
He also served as a deputy commissioner of police in New York City from 1961 to 1963. From 1963 to 1966, he was the Director of the New York State Division for Youth. Later, he taught as a visiting professor at the University at Albany, SUNY from 1970 to 1971.
Serving as a Federal Judge
District Court Judge
In 1971, President Richard Nixon chose Lawrence Pierce to be a judge. He was appointed to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The United States Senate approved his appointment on May 20, 1971. He served as a district judge until November 1981.
Court of Appeals Judge
President Ronald Reagan nominated Pierce for a higher court in 1981. He became a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The Senate confirmed him on November 18, 1981.
Judge Pierce was the third African-American person to serve on the Second Circuit. The other two were Thurgood Marshall and Amalya Lyle Kearse. On January 1, 1990, he took "senior status". This means he worked a reduced schedule but still handled cases. He fully retired from the court on March 31, 1995.
In 1978, Chief Justice Warren Burger asked Judge Pierce to serve on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. He also represented the American Bar Association at the United Nations.
Life After Retirement
After retiring from his judicial duties in 1995, Judge Pierce traveled abroad. He became the Director of the USAID-funded Cambodian Court Training Project in Cambodia. This project helped train judges and legal professionals in Cambodia.
About His Family
Lawrence Pierce was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother, Mary Leora Bellinger Pierce, was a talented classical pianist. She even played music for the famous singer Marian Anderson. Sadly, his mother passed away when he was five years old.
He was raised by his step-mother, Violet Abrahams Pierce, who was a registered nurse. His father, Harold E. Pierce Sr., also helped raise him until Lawrence was eleven. Lawrence and his older brother, Harold E. Pierce Jr., were sometimes separated but reunited for holidays at their grandparents' home.
Lawrence Pierce was married twice. With his first wife, Wilma Verenia Taylor, he had three sons: Warren, Michael, and Mark. Warren and Michael followed their father's path and became lawyers. Mark works internationally with an organization called Plan International. Judge Pierce had five granddaughters, one grandson, and one great-granddaughter.
After his first wife passed away, he married Cynthia Straker. Cynthia was also a lawyer and a professor at Howard University and St. John's University Law School. Cynthia passed away in 2011. The couple lived in Sag Harbor, New York. Lawrence Pierce died on February 5, 2020, at his home in Boca Raton, Florida, at the age of 95.
Discovering His Family History
Judge Pierce spent many years researching his family's past. He found out that two of his ancestors, Richard and Anthony Pierce, were brothers and seamen. They met two Dutch sisters, Hannah and Marie Van Aca, who were indentured servants. The brothers bought the sisters' freedom, and then they married. They settled in Cumberland County, New Jersey.
Richard and Hannah's son, Adam, fought in the American Revolutionary War as part of the New Jersey Militia. Because of this historical connection, Judge Pierce joined the Sons of the American Revolution (S.A.R.) and the Sons of the Revolution. He even served as a vice-president at Fraunces Tavern. Other family members also joined the S.A.R. and the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.).
For many years, Ebony Magazine recognized Judge Pierce as one of the most influential African Americans in the United States.
