Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr.
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| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri |
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| In office May 1, 1996 – July 31, 2008 |
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri |
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| In office July 19, 1983 – May 1, 1996 |
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| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Harris Kenneth Wangelin |
| Succeeded by | Rodney W. Sippel |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Stephen Nathaniel Limbaugh
November 17, 1927 Cape Girardeau, Missouri |
| Children | Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. |
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| Relatives | Limbaugh family |
| Education | Southeast Missouri State University (BA) University of Missouri (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1946-1948 |
Stephen Nathaniel Limbaugh Sr. (born November 17, 1927) is a retired American judge. He served as a federal judge for two different courts in Missouri at the same time. He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and retired in 2008.
Before becoming a judge, Mr. Limbaugh was a successful lawyer in Missouri. Like his father, Rush Limbaugh Sr., he also led the Missouri Bar, which is an organization for lawyers in the state. His son, Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr., is also a federal judge.
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Early Life and Education
Stephen Limbaugh Sr. was born and grew up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. His parents were Beulah Maude (Seebaugh) and Rush Hudson Limbaugh.
He served in the United States Navy for about a year and a half, from 1946 to 1948. After his military service, he went to college. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in history from Southeast Missouri State University in 1950. The next year, in 1951, he earned his Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the University of Missouri School of Law. A JD is the degree you need to become a lawyer.
Legal Career Before Becoming a Judge
After finishing law school, Stephen Limbaugh Sr. started working at his father's law firm. He focused on legal work related to real estate and property titles.
From 1955 to 1958, he worked as the prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County. This means he was the lawyer who brought legal cases against people accused of crimes. Later, from 1964 to 1968, he was the part-time city attorney for Cape Girardeau. During this time, he also continued to work at his family's law firm in the same town.
Becoming a Federal Judge
On June 7, 1983, President Ronald Reagan nominated Stephen Limbaugh Sr. to become a federal judge. He was chosen to serve on two courts at the same time: the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. He took over from Judge Kenneth Wangelin.
The United States Senate approved his nomination on July 18, 1983. He officially became a judge the next day, on July 19, 1983.
Later Career and Retirement
On May 1, 1996, Judge Limbaugh took "senior status." This means he continued to work as a judge but with a reduced caseload. Judge Rodney W. Sippel took over his previous full-time position.
Judge Limbaugh retired completely on July 31, 2008. He retired so that his son, Stephen Jr., could serve on the same court. Federal rules do not allow members of the same family to serve on the same court at the same time.
After retiring from the federal court, Judge Limbaugh worked as a senior counsel for a law firm called Armstrong Teasdale in St. Louis, Missouri. He also worked as a mediator, helping people solve legal disagreements outside of court.
In 2019, Judge Limbaugh returned to Cape Girardeau. He began working again with the law firm that still has his father's name. In July 2021, he received the Southeastern Missouri Spirit of America Award.
Important Court Cases
As a federal judge, Stephen Limbaugh Sr. made decisions in many important cases. Here are a few examples:
- National Football League v. McBee & Brunos (1985): This case was about copyright and the illegal interception of satellite signals.
- Peabody Holding Co., Inc. v. Costain Group, PLC (1992-1993): This case involved contracts related to coal mines in Australia.
- Interactive Digital Software Association v. St. Louis County (2002): This case dealt with video games and their protection under freedom of speech.
- In Re American Milling Company (2003): This case was about admiralty law, which deals with shipping and navigation.
- Washington University v. Catalona (2006): This case was about who owns tissue samples that patients donate for medical research.
