John Copenhaver
John Thomas Copenhaver, Jr. is an Article III federal judge on senior status for the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. He joined the court in 1976 after being nominated by President Gerald Ford. He retired from full-time service, assuming senior status, on November 1, 2018.[1]
Frank W. Volk was nominated by President Donald Trump (R) to replace Copenhaver on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Early life and education
Born in Charleston, West Virginia, Copenhaver served on active duty in the United States Army from 1944 to 1946 before attending West Virginia University and earning his bachelor's degree in 1947. In 1950, Copenhaver graduated from West Virginia University College of Law with his law degree.[1]
Profesisonal career
Copenhaver was a law clerk for former Judge Ben Moore in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia from 1950 to 1951. From 1951 to 1958, Copenhaver was a private practice attorney in the State of West Virginia. From 1958 to 1973, Copenhaver served as the bankruptcy mediator for bankruptcy cases in the Southern District of West Virginia. Also, Copenhaver served as a part-time adjunct professor for the West Virginia University College of Law and as a faculty member for the Federal Judicial Center from 1970 to 1976.[1]
Judicial career
Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of West Virginia
In 1973, Copenhaver was appointed to an eight-year term as a U.S. bankruptcy judge for the Southern District of West Virginia. He was appointed to serve as a district court judge for the Southern District of West Virginia in 1976.[1]
Southern District of West Virginia
Cophenhaver was nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia by President Gerald Ford on August 26, 1976, to a seat vacated by Kenneth Hall as Hall was elevated to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Copenhaver was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 1, 1976, on a Senate vote. He received commission on September 3, 1976. Copenhaver retired from full-time service, assuming senior status, on November 1, 2018.[1]
See also
External links
- Judge John Copenhaver FJC Bio
- List of judges of the Southern District of West Virginia
- The Robing Room- Rate Judge Copenhaver
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Kenneth Hall |
Southern District of West Virginia 1996–2018 Seat #2 |
Succeeded by: Frank W. Volk
|
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 |
Bauer • Bramwell • Cahn • Churchill • Clarke • Cook • Elfvin • Fitzgerald • Flaum • Gerry • Kirkland • Sessions • Torruella • Graafeiland | ||
| 1975 |
Brimmer • Brotman • Grady • Haden • Henley • Higginbotham • Kennedy • Leighton • McNagny • Meskill • O'Conor • Rogers • Shell • Siler • Stafford • Stevens • Thompson • Tjoflat • Wong | ||
| 1976 |
Ackerman • Anderson • Aronovitz • Broderick • Callister • Cohill • Copenhaver • Crowley • Davis • Fay • Goettel • Guy • Haight • Hall • Hill • Ingram • Manos • Munson • Poole • Pratt • Richey • Schwartz • Schwarzer • Sear • Sterling • Takasugi • Waters • Williams • Wood | ||
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia
State courts:
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia • West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals • West Virginia Circuit Courts • West Virginia Family Courts • West Virginia Magistrate Courts • West Virginia Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in West Virginia • West Virginia judicial elections • Judicial selection in West Virginia
