Lee Roy West facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lee Roy West
|
|
|---|---|
| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma | |
| In office November 26, 1994 – April 24, 2020 |
|
| Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma | |
| In office 1993–1994 |
|
| Preceded by | Ralph Gordon Thompson |
| Succeeded by | David Lynn Russell |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma | |
| In office November 2, 1979 – November 26, 1994 |
|
| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Seat established by 92 Stat. 1629 |
| Succeeded by | Vicki Miles-LaGrange |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 26, 1929 Clayton, Oklahoma |
| Died | April 24, 2020 (aged 90) Muskogee, Oklahoma |
| Education | University of Oklahoma (BA) University of Oklahoma College of Law (JD) Harvard Law School (LLM) |
Lee Roy West (born November 26, 1929 – died April 24, 2020) was an important judge in the United States. He served as a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Lee Roy West was born in Clayton, Oklahoma. He went to the University of Oklahoma and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952.
Military Service and Law School
After college, West served as a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He was on active duty from 1952 to 1954. After his military service, he continued his education. He earned a law degree (called a Juris Doctor) from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1956. Later, he received another advanced law degree (a Master of Laws) from Harvard Law School in 1963.
Early Legal Career
West worked as a private lawyer in Ada, Oklahoma, from 1956 to 1961 and again from 1963 to 1965. He also taught law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law for a year. From 1962 to 1963, he was a special fellow at Harvard Law School, focusing on law teaching.
Becoming a Judge in Oklahoma
From 1965 to 1973, Lee Roy West served as an Oklahoma District Judge for the 22nd Judicial District. During this time, he also worked as a Special Justice for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals. These roles helped him gain a lot of experience in the legal system.
Work with the Civil Aeronautics Board
From 1973 to 1978, West was a member of the Civil Aeronautics Board. This board was responsible for regulating air travel in the United States. In 1977, he even served as the acting Chairman of the board. Before becoming a federal judge, he returned to private law practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from 1978 to 1979.
Federal Judicial Service
On September 28, 1979, President Jimmy Carter nominated Lee Roy West to become a new judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The United States Senate approved his nomination on October 31, 1979. He officially became a judge on November 2, 1979.
Chief Judge and Senior Status
Judge West served as the Chief Judge of the court from 1993 to 1994. After that, on November 26, 1994, he took on "senior status". This means he continued to work as a judge but with a reduced caseload. He passed away on April 24, 2020, at the age of 90, in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
