For other people with the same name, see John Napier (disambiguation)

John Napier (disambiguation)

John Napier is , Scottish mathematician, physicist and astronomer .John Napier is the name of:*John Light Napier , U.S...

.

John Light Napier (born May 16, 1947) is a politician, lawyer, former member of the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

, and judge

Judge

A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...

 from South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

.

Education

John Light Napier attended public schools in Marlboro County, South Carolina, before college. He graduated from Davidson College

Davidson College

Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...

 in 1969 and earned a J.D.

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

 from the University of South Carolina

University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...

 in 1972, while serving as a first lieutenant

First Lieutenant

First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...

 in the United States Army Reserve

United States Army Reserve

The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....

 (which he served in until 1977).

Early career

Napier was admitted to the bar in 1972, and also began to serve as legislative assistant to United States Senator Strom Thurmond

Strom Thurmond

James Strom Thurmond was an American politician who served as a United States Senator. He also ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1948 as the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes...

, while serving as minority counsel on both the Subcommittee on Administrative Practices and Procedures and the Committee on Veterans Affairs

United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

The United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs deals with oversight of United States veterans issues.-Members, 112th Congress:The Committee is chaired by Democrat Patty Murray of Washington, and the Ranking Member is Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina.Source: -Chairmen of the Senate...

. In 1976, he was made Senator Thurmond's chief legal assistant and legal counsel. In 1977, Napier returned to the private practice of law in Bennettsville, South Carolina

Bennettsville, South Carolina

Bennettsville is a city in and the county seat of Marlboro County, South Carolina, United States. and home to the Bennettsville Historic District...

, which he maintained until 1980.

House of Representatives

In 1980, Napier was elected to the 97th United States Congress

97th United States Congress

The Ninety-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1983, during the final weeks of...

 as a Representative from South Carolina's 6th congressional district

South Carolina's 6th congressional district

The 6th Congressional District of South Carolina is a congressional district in central South Carolina. It includes all of Bamberg, Clarendon, Colleton, Marion and Williamsburg counties and parts of Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Lee, Orangeburg, Richland and...

. He served in this capacity until 1983, having lost his bid for reelection in 1982.

Later career

Following his defeat in the 1982 election, Napier returned to the private practice of law in Bennettsville, until 1986, when President

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

 appointed him as judge in the United States Claims Court

United States Court of Federal Claims

The United States Court of Federal Claims is a United States federal court that hears monetary claims against the U.S. government. The court is established pursuant to Congress's authority under Article One of the United States Constitution...

. He resigned from the court in 1989 and returned to private practice. In 1992 he served as special outside counsel in the House Committee on House Administration

United States House Committee on House Administration

The United States House Committee on House Administration deals with the general administration matters of the United States House of Representatives.-Jurisdiction:...

’s investigation of the Congressional Post Office scandal

Congressional Post Office Scandal

The Congressional Post Office scandal refers to the discovery of corruption among various Congressional Post Office employees and members of the United States House of Representatives, investigated 1991–1995, climaxing in the conviction of House Ways and Means Committee chairman Dan...

.

External links