Reynaldo Guerra Garza
Encyclopedia
Reynaldo Guerra Garza was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
. He was the first Mexican-American appointed to a federal court when he was appointed to the U.S. District Court, and would later become the first Mexican-American, as well as the first Latin American, appointed to any circuit of the U. S. Court of Appeals.
, Garza received an A.A. from Brownsville Junior College in 1935 and a B.A.
from the University of Texas, Austin in 1937. He earned his LL.B. from the University of Texas School of Law
in 1939. He was in private practice of law in Brownsville from 1939 to 1942. He served in the United States Army Air Forces
from 1942 to 1945, after which he returned to his law practice in Brownsville, where he remained until 1961.
Garza was nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
by President John F. Kennedy
on March 24, 1961, to a seat vacated by James V. Allred. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on April 13, 1961, and received commission on April 14, 1961. He served as chief judge from 1974 to 1979, when his service on the district court was terminated on August 1, 1979, due to appointment to another judicial position.
Garza was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
by President Jimmy Carter
on April 30, 1979, to a seat vacated by William Homer Thornberry. President Jimmy Carter
originally asked Garza to serve as the Attorney General of the United States, which he turned down. Had he accepted and been confirmed by the Senate, Garza would have become the first Hispanic
Attorney General of the United States. He was confirmed to the Fifth Circuit by the United States Senate on July 12, 1979, and received commission on July 13, 1979. He assumed senior status
on July 7, 1982. Garza's service was terminated on September 14, 2004, due to his death in his hometown of Brownsville, Texas.
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Louisiana* Middle District of Louisiana...
. He was the first Mexican-American appointed to a federal court when he was appointed to the U.S. District Court, and would later become the first Mexican-American, as well as the first Latin American, appointed to any circuit of the U. S. Court of Appeals.
Early life and career
Born in Brownsville, TexasBrownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
, Garza received an A.A. from Brownsville Junior College in 1935 and a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Texas, Austin in 1937. He earned his LL.B. from the University of Texas School of Law
University of Texas School of Law
The University of Texas School of Law, also known as UT Law, is an ABA-certified American law school located on the University of Texas at Austin campus. The law school has been in operation since the founding of the University in 1883. It was one of only two schools at the University when it was...
in 1939. He was in private practice of law in Brownsville from 1939 to 1942. He served in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
from 1942 to 1945, after which he returned to his law practice in Brownsville, where he remained until 1961.
Garza was nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over the southern part of Texas...
by President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
on March 24, 1961, to a seat vacated by James V. Allred. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on April 13, 1961, and received commission on April 14, 1961. He served as chief judge from 1974 to 1979, when his service on the district court was terminated on August 1, 1979, due to appointment to another judicial position.
Garza was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Louisiana* Middle District of Louisiana...
by President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
on April 30, 1979, to a seat vacated by William Homer Thornberry. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
originally asked Garza to serve as the Attorney General of the United States, which he turned down. Had he accepted and been confirmed by the Senate, Garza would have become the first Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
Attorney General of the United States. He was confirmed to the Fifth Circuit by the United States Senate on July 12, 1979, and received commission on July 13, 1979. He assumed senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
on July 7, 1982. Garza's service was terminated on September 14, 2004, due to his death in his hometown of Brownsville, Texas.