William Acker

For the American general, see William P. Acker.
William Marsh Acker, Jr.
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 31, 1996
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
In office
August 18, 1982 – May 31, 1996
Appointed by Ronald Reagan
Preceded by Frank Hampton McFadden
Succeeded by Seat abolished
Personal details
Born October 25, 1927
Birmingham, Alabama
Alma mater Birmingham-Southern College B.A.
Yale Law School LL.B.
Profession Attorney

William Marsh Acker, Jr. (born October 25, 1927) is a Senior United States District Judge of the District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

Life and career

Acker was born in Birmingham, Alabama and served in the United States Army as a private first class from 1946 to 1947. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Birmingham-Southern College in 1949 and an Bachelor of Laws from Yale Law School in 1952. He was an attorney in private practice in Birmingham for thirty years, from 1952 to 1982.

Acker was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on July 22, 1982, to a seat vacated by Frank H. McFadden. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 18, 1982, and received his commission the same day. He assumed senior status on May 31, 1996.

Notable cases

In 2005, Acker announced that he would not take clerks from Yale Law School because of that school's decision to refuse to permit military recruiters on campus.[1]

In 2007, Acker recommended that the U.S. Attorney charge Richard Scruggs and the Scruggs Law Firm with criminal contempt for leaking documents in violation of a court order; in 2008, he accused Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood of conspiring with Scruggs to skirt the court order.[2]

In 2008, Acker held the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act unconstitutional for imposing disproportionate punitive damages on defendants who cause no harm.[3] Acker's decision was overturned in 2009.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Courtney, Jocelyn (February 15, 2005). "Some alumni criticize JAG recruiting ban". Yale Daily News. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  2. ↑ Associated Press (June 6, 2008). "Judge: Miss. attorney general conspired with Scruggs". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  3. ↑ Walton, Val (May 31, 2008). "Federal judge tosses out federal credit card law". Birmingham News.
  4. ↑ Franke, Ted (April 13, 2009). "Grimes v. Raves Motion Pictures FACTA decision reversed" Overlawyered
Legal offices
Preceded by
Frank H. McFadden		 Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
August 18, 1982 - May 31, 1996 		Succeeded by
Seat abolished