C. Clyde Atkins
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Carl Clyde Atkins (November 23, 1914-March 11, 1999) was a judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He was nominated by Lyndon B. Johnson on June 28, 1966, to a newly created seat, confirmed by the Senate on July 22, 1966, and received commission on July 22, 1966. He served as chief judge, 1977-1982 and assumed senior status on December 31, 1982. He served as senior judge until his death.
In 1969, Atkins worked on ensuring the desegregation of Miami schools by appointing a special panel to ensure the plan was carried out (Pate vs. Dade County School Board [315 F..Supp. 1161] ). In 1970, he ruled on a famous case involving the poet Alan Ginsberg after someone shut off Ginsberg’s microphone during a public reading. (Ginsberg v. City of Miami, [307 F.Supp. 675] ) Atkins ruled that Ginsberg should be given another reading, free of charge.
Among the many important cases in a long and distinguished career, he issued landmark rulings protecting the constitutional rights of homeless people in Pottinger v. City of Miami, as well as major rulings in other cases involving the rights of Haitian and Cuban refugees.
Higher Education and Service:
Judge Atkins graduated from the University of Florida and received his LL.B. degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 1936.
He was an active leader of the Roman Catholic Church. In December, 1961, at a meeting of the Biscayne College Board of Trustees (Miami, FL)--held in his office at the Alfred I. duPont Building in Miami, Atkins was appointed resident agent of the College. In 1965, he was named a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope Paul VI.
In 1997, the C. Clyde Atkins Moot Court Series was endowed at the University of Miami School of Law in his honor.
He died of colon cancer in Miami on March 11, 1999. He was survived by his wife, Ester and daughter Julie A. Landrigan. Two children, Carla A. Schulte and Carl Clyde Atkins were previously deceased.
The Greater Miami Chapter of the Florida ACLU annually presents the C. Clyde Atkins Civil Liberties Award. St. Thomas University (formerly Biscayne College) houses "The Judge C. Clyde Atkins Papers". Portions of the collection, including his public speeches, are available digitally at http://library.stu.edu/atkins.
