Harold A. Baker

Harold Albert Baker
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
Assumed office
October 4, 1994
Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
In office
March 31, 1979 – October 4, 1994
Preceded by (new district)
Succeeded by Michael P. McCuskey
Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
In office
1998 – May 18, 2005[1]
Succeeded by Malcolm J. Howard[1]
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
In office
1984–1991
Preceded by James Waldo Ackerman[2]
Succeeded by Michael M. Mihm[2]
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois
In office
September 23, 1978 – March 31, 1979
Nominated by Jimmy Carter
Preceded by Henry S. Wise
Succeeded by (district eliminated)
Personal details
Born 1929 (age 87–88)
Mt. Kisco, New York
Alma mater University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
University of Illinois College of Law

Harold Albert Baker (born 1929, Mt. Kisco, New York) is a Senior United States federal judge on the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, with chambers in Urbana, Illinois. He became a judge in 1978 by way of nomination by President Jimmy Carter, then moved to from the old United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois to the Central District in 1979, and became a senior judge in 1994.[3] He was also a judge on the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court until 2005.[1][4]

Life before the bench

Baker attended Columbia University, then received an A.B. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1951. He was in the United States Navy from 1951 to 1953, obtaining the rank of Lieutenant. He received a J.D. from University of Illinois College of Law in 1956.[3]

He was in private practice of law in Champaign, Illinois from 1956 to 1978, and was an adjunct faculty member of the University of Illinois College of Law from 1972 to 1978. He was senior counsel for the United States President's Commission on CIA activities within the United States in 1975.[3]

Judicial career

Baker was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on August 9, 1978, to a seat vacated by Henry S. Wise on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois. Baker was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 22, 1978, and received his commission on September 23, 1978.[3]

In 1978, the Eastern District and Southern District of Illinois were rearranged into the Southern District and Central District of Illinois.[5] Baker was assigned to the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois on March 31, 1979. In the Central District he served as chief judge from 1984 to 1991, and assumed senior status on October 4, 1994.[3]

Baker was on the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court until May 18, 2005. FISC judges usually serve seven-year terms.[1][4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT OF REVIEW Current and Past Members" (PDF). Federation of American Scientists. 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Judges of the United States Courts". Courts of the Federal Judiciary. Federal Judicial Center. Archived from the original on 2004-11-08. Retrieved 2009-03-08.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Harold Albert Baker at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.. Retrieved 2009-03-08.
  4. 1 2 Lichtblau, Eric (2006-03-29). "Judges on Secretive Panel Speak Out on Spy Program". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-03-08.
  5. ↑ "U.S. District Courts of Illinois: Legislative history". Courts of the Federal Judiciary. Federal Judicial Center. Archived from the original on 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2009-03-08.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Henry S. Wise		 Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois
1978–1979 		Succeeded by
seat abolished
Preceded by
new seat		 Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
1979–1994 		Succeeded by
Michael P. McCuskey
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