Robert Frederick Collins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Collins
|
|
|---|---|
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana | |
| In office May 19, 1978 – August 6, 1993 |
|
| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Alvin Benjamin Rubin |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Porteous |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Frederick Collins
January 27, 1931 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Education | Dillard University (BA) Louisiana State University (LLB) |
Robert Frederick Collins was born on January 27, 1931. He was a lawyer who worked to protect civil rights. Later, he became a federal judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. This court handles important legal cases for the eastern part of Louisiana.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Collins grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He went to Gilbert Academy for his early schooling. After that, he attended Dillard University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1951.
Law School and Military Service
He then studied law at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. He was one of the first three African American students to be admitted there in 1954. After finishing law school, he served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956.
Legal Career Before Becoming a Judge
After his military service, Robert Collins started his own law practice in New Orleans. He worked as a private lawyer from 1956 to 1972. During some of this time, from 1959 to 1961, he also taught at Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge. From 1972 to 1978, he served as a magistrate judge. This role meant he handled some legal matters for the Criminal District Court of New Orleans.
Becoming a Federal Judge
On January 26, 1978, President Jimmy Carter chose Robert Collins to be a federal judge. He was nominated to fill a vacant seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Confirmation and Service
The United States Senate approved his nomination on May 17, 1978. He officially became a judge on May 19, 1978. Judge Collins served in this important position until August 6, 1993.
Resignation from Office
In 1991, issues arose that led to serious accusations against Judge Collins. These events led to his resignation from his judgeship.
After the Resignation
He resigned on August 6, 1993. This happened just before special hearings about his position were scheduled to begin. As a result of these events, the Supreme Court of Louisiana decided that Robert Collins could no longer practice law in Louisiana.
See also
- List of African-American federal judges
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States
