Harold Lyman Ryan
| Harold L. Ryan | |
|---|---|
| Senior Judge of the U.S. District Court for Idaho | |
|
In office December 30, 1992 – April 10, 1995 | |
| Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for Idaho | |
|
In office 1988–1992 | |
| Preceded by | Marion Callister |
| Succeeded by | Edward Lodge |
| Judge of the U.S. District Court for Idaho | |
|
In office December 17, 1981 – December 30, 1992 | |
| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Ray McNichols |
| Succeeded by | B. Lynn Winmill |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Harold Lyman Ryan June 17, 1923 Weiser, Idaho |
| Died |
April 10, 1995 (aged 71) Boise, Idaho |
| Resting place |
Morris Hill Cemetery Boise, Idaho |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Ann Dagres Ryan (b.1926) (m.1961–1995, his death) |
| Children | 3 sons |
| Alma mater |
University of Idaho LL.B., 1950[1] |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States |
| Service/branch |
 U.S. Navy |
| Years of service | 1944–1946 |
| Rank |
 Lieutenant (j.g.) |
| Unit | U.S.S. Merrick |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Harold Lyman Ryan (June 17, 1923 - April 10, 1995) was an attorney and federal judge in Idaho.[2]
Education and career history
Born and raised in Weiser, Idaho, Ryan graduated from Weiser High School in 1941,[3] and attended the University of Idaho in Moscow from 1941 to 1943,[4] then enlisted in the U.S. Navy.[5] He attended the University of Washington in Seattle under the V-12 Navy College Training Program, completed midshipmen's school at the University of Notre Dame, and graduated with a commission as an ensign in 1944. Ryan served the remainder of World War II in the Pacific Theater aboard the U.S.S. Merrick.
Ryan returned to the University of Idaho in 1946[6] and entered its College of Law, graduating in January 1950. He was admitted to the Idaho State Bar in 1950, and returned to Weiser to practice law with his father, Frank D. Ryan. Ryan served as a deputy prosecutor of Washington County from 1951 to 1952, and was elected to the state senate in 1962 and served from 1963 to 1966. While in the Senate, Ryan took a particular interest in modernizing the Idaho judiciary and served as Chairman of the Joint Commission of the Idaho Legislature which instituted sweeping reform by reorganizing and modernizing the state judicial system, creating a court administration, and forming the Idaho Judicial Council. He also served as president of the Idaho state bar from 1967 to 1969.
After serving as campaign director for U.S. Senator Jim McClure in 1978, McClure recommended Ryan to President Ronald Reagan in July 1981 to fill a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho vacated by Ray McNichols.[7][8] Reagan appointed Ryan on December 7 and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 16, 1981.[1] Ryan served a term as chief judge from 1988 to 1992, and assumed senior status on December 30, 1992.[9]
Ryan remained on the bench until his death from cancer on April 10, 1995,[2][3] and is buried at Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise.
Notable cases
In the mid 1980s, Ryan ruled in favor of inmate Walter "Bud" Balla and others that conditions in the state prison violated their constitutional rights. He imposed a cap on inmate population which necessitated the construction of a new maximum security facility.[10]
In the early 1990s, Ryan presided over the Ruby Ridge case.[11]
In the spring of 1993, Ryan ruled in favor of the state of Idaho in its long-running dispute with the federal government over storage of nuclear waste at the Idaho National Laboratory in eastern Idaho. As a consequence, the U.S. government significantly reduced the amount of low-level nuclear waste shipped to Idaho.
References
- 1 2 "Harold Ryan biography". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- 1 2 "Judge Harold Ryan succumbs to cancer". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. April 11, 1995. p. B1.
- 1 2 "U.S. District Judge Ryan dies at 71". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. April 11, 1995. p. 6A.
- ↑ "Sophomores". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1943. p. 75.
- ↑ http://socialarchive.iath.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=Harold+Lyman+Ryan+1923-1995-cr.xml Harold Ryan Biography
- ↑ "Seniors". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1947. p. 64.
- ↑ "New judge nominated". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. UPI. July 20, 1981. p. 7.
- ↑ "Weiser attorney tapped for judgeship". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. July 21, 1981. p. 6.
- ↑ "Judge Ryan plans to partially retire". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. Associated Press. December 12, 1992. p. 4A.
- ↑ Balla v. Idaho State Board of Corrections Opinion PMID 11648545
- ↑ US DOJ OPR Ruby Ridge Task Force Report, June 10, 1994, IV. Specific Issues Investigated, B. The Failure of Weaver to Appear for TriaL, 2. Statement of Facts, c. February 20, 1991 - The Rescheduled Trial Date. "On February 20, Howen and defense counsel Hofmeister appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Harold L. Ryan. At that time, Hofmeister told the court that he had been unable to contact Weaver."
External links
- Harold Lyman Ryan at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Raymond Clyne McNichols |
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Idaho 1981–1992 |
Succeeded by B. Lynn Winmill |