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Born December 17, 1925, in Atlanta, NE
Died July 28, 2017, in Lincoln, NE Federal Judicial ServiceJudge, U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska Nominated by Richard M. Nixon on March 11, 1970, to a seat vacated by Robert Van Pelt. Confirmed by the Senate on April 23, 1970, and received commission on April 24, 1970. Served as chief judge, 1972-1986. Assumed senior status, December 31, 1990. Assumed inactive senior status, April 25, 2014. EducationA.B. degree with highest distinction, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1950 J.D. degree with distinction, University of Michigan Law School, 1953 National Endowment for the Humanities Seminar, Harvard University, 1978 Program of Instruction for Lawyers, Harvard University, 1979 Federal Judicial Center Seminar on Experts, Statistics and Economics, University of Wisconsin, 1985 Professional CareerPracticing trial lawyer in Lincoln, Nebraska, 1953-1970 Member, Lincoln Bar Association, Nebraska State Bar Association and American Bar Association Member, Nebraska State Bar Foundation United States District Judge for the District of Nebraska from 1970-1990 Chief Judge 1972-1986 United States Senior District Judge, effective January 1, 1991 Member, Board of Directors of Federal Judicial Center, 1982-1986 Chair, Federal Judicial Center Committee on Orientation for Newly Appointed District Judges, 1985-1989 Member, Eighth Circuit Committee on Model Jury Instructions, 1983-2010, which produced Eighth Circuit Model Criminal Instructions Member, Supreme Court of Nebraska Committee on Pattern Jury Instructions which produced Nebraska Jury Instructions (1969), Nebraska Jury Instructions, Civil Second Edition (1989) and proposed Nebraska Criminal Jury Instructions (1989) Member, Supreme Court of Nebraska Committee on Practice and Procedure which produced Nebraska Rules of Evidence (1975) Member, State-Federal Judicial Council of Nebraska, 1977-1986 President, United States District Judge's Association for the Eighth Circuit 1977-1979 Adjunct instructor in trial advocacy, University of Nebraska College of Law, 1979-1990 Adjunct instructor in trial advocacy, Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, Georgia, 1994, 1995 Co-Founder and Administrator of Robert Van Pelt American Inn of Court, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1987-2002 |
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Honors And Awards
Elected to American College of Trial Lawyers, 1970
Medal of Honor, Nebraska Wesleyan University Alumni Association, 1983
Honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Nebraska Wesleyan University, 1984
Outstanding Legal Educator, Nebraska Bar Association Foundation, 1990
Distinguished Service Award, Kiwanis Club of Lincoln, 1992-1993
Liberty Bell Award, Lincoln Bar Association, 1993
Executive of the Year Award, Professional Secretaries International, Cornhusker Chapter, 1994
Lewis F. Powell Jr. Award for Professionalism and Ethics, American Inns of Court Foundation, 1995
Lifetime Mentor Award, Robert Van Pelt American Inns of Court Foundation, 2002
Listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Government, and Who's Who in American Law
Community Service
Nebraska Wesleyan University, chair, Board of Governors, 1975-1980
Nebraska Wesleyan University, chair, Commission on the Future of Nebraska Wesleyan University, 1980-1982
Nebraska Wesleyan University, chair, Committee on Board Affairs, 1980-1983
Nebraska Wesleyan University, member, Committee on Student Affairs, 1983-1985
Nebraska Wesleyan University, member, Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, 1957-1986
Nebraska Wesleyan University, Governor Emeritus, 1986-2009
St. Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, Missouri, member, Board of Trustees, 1986-1990
St. Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, Missouri, member, Committee on Academic Affairs, 1986-1990
Lincoln Y.M.C.A., president, Board of Directors, 1965-1966
Member, United States Constitution Bicentennial Commission of Nebraska, 1987
Military
U.S. Army T. Sergeant, 1944-1946
Archive
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Book: Called to Justice - The Life of a Federal Trial Judge
- Urbom, Warren K. (2012). Called to Justice - The Life of a Federal Trial Judge. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
- Excerpt from University of Nebraska Press web site
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Book: Ghost Dancing the Law: The Wounded Knee Trials
- Sayer, John William (2000), Ghost Dancing the Law: The Wounded Knee Trials. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Oral History, Creighton University School of Law Download Oral History Video *
* The oral history videos on Creighton University School of Law's website must be downloaded before viewing.
Resolution: Senior Status (July 11, 1991)
Resolution: Regarding the Retirement to Inactive Senior Status (April 25, 2014)