Paul Allen Simmons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Allen Simmons
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania | |
| In office June 1, 1990 – October 9, 2014 |
|
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania | |
| In office April 7, 1978 – June 1, 1990 |
|
| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Ralph Francis Scalera |
| Succeeded by | Timothy K. Lewis |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Paul Allen Simmons
August 31, 1921 Monongahela, Pennsylvania |
| Died | October 9, 2014 (aged 93) Monongahela, Pennsylvania |
| Education | University of Pittsburgh (BA) Harvard Law School (JD) |
Paul Allen Simmons (born August 31, 1921 – died October 9, 2014) was an important federal judge in the United States. He served on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. This court handles federal legal cases in western Pennsylvania.
Early Life and Education
Paul Allen Simmons was born in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. This is a town in the western part of the state. He worked hard in school and went to college.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1946. After that, he went to Harvard Law School. He received his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1949.
Career Before Becoming a Judge
After finishing law school, Paul Simmons became a professor. He taught law at the South Carolina State University School of Law. This was in Orangeburg, South Carolina, from 1949 to 1952.
Then, he taught at the North Carolina Central University School of Law. This school is in Durham, North Carolina, from 1952 to 1956. After teaching, he worked as a private lawyer in his hometown of Monongahela. He did this from 1956 to 1973.
In 1973, he became a judge for the first time. He served on the Washington County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. He was a judge there until 1978.
Becoming a Federal Judge
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter chose Paul Simmons to be a federal judge. He was nominated for a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. This is a very important job.
The United States Senate had to approve his nomination. They confirmed him on April 6, 1978. He officially started his new role as a federal judge on April 7, 1978.
He served as a judge for many years. On June 1, 1990, he took on a "senior status" role. This means he continued to work but with a reduced caseload. Paul Allen Simmons passed away on October 9, 2014, in Monongahela.
See also
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Pennsylvania
