J. Skelly Wright

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James Skelly Wright

Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
In office March 30, 1962 – August 6, 1988
Nominated by	John F. Kennedy
Preceded by	E. Barrett Prettyman
Succeeded by	Douglas H. Ginsburg

Born	January 14, 1911 New Orleans, Louisiana
Died	August 6, 1988 Westmoreland Hills, Maryland

James Skelly Wright (January 14, 1911 - August 6, 1988) was a judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

1 Early life and education
2 Career as a District Court judge
3 Career as an Appellate judge
4 Notable former clerks
5 Notes
6 External links

[edit] Early life and education

Wright was born in 1911 in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he lived for much of his early life. Wright attended Loyola University New Orleans where he received his undergraduate in 1932, and the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law where he received his law degree in 1936.

[edit] Career as a District Court judge

Prior to his appointment in the US Court of Appeals, Judge Wright served at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana from 1949 to 1962, where he was an important leader in the battle for the desegregation of New Orleans area schools. His first desegregation order was for the Louisiana State University Law School in 1951. His vigorous enforcement of Brown v. Board of Education, however, made him many enemies amongst the predominately white political and business culture of New Orleans to the extent that his entire family was soon ostracized and isolated from much of New Orleans' society life. ^[1]

[edit] Career as an Appellate judge

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy nominated Wright to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to fill a seat vacated by Judge E. Barrett Prettyman. He served with distinction in this role, helping protect the rights of African-Americans in Hobson v. Hansen (eliminating "tracking systems" in schools), and interpreting the concept of contract unconscionability in order to prevent the exploitation of the poor in Williams v. Walker-Thomas Furniture Co.^[2] Wright served as Chief Judge of the DC Circuit between 1978-1981.

In 1986, Wright achieved senior status, his seat being succeeded by Douglas H. Ginsburg. Wright died in 1988 in Westmoreland Hills, Maryland. Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. wrote a memoriam for Judge Wright in the Harvard Law Review.

[edit] Notable former clerks

Keith P. Ellison - U.S. District Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Susan Estrich - Lawyer and Fox News personality
Raymond C. Fisher - U.S. Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Sally Katzen - Former official in the Clinton White House
Michael W. McConnell - U.S. Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
L. Michael Seidman - professor at the Georgetown University Law Center

[edit] Notes

^ Judge James Skelly Wright. http://www.tulanelink.com/tulanelink/skellywright_box.htm, accessed November 21, 2006.
^ James Wright. Answers.com. West's Encyclopedia of American Law, The Gale Group, Inc, 1998. http://www.answers.com/topic/james-wright, accessed November 22, 2006.