Willis Hunt
Encyclopedia
Willis B. Hunt, Jr. is a federal judge
serving on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
. Nominated by President Bill Clinton
on January 23, 1995 to replace Horace Ward
, he was confirmed by the United States Senate
on March 24, 1995, and received his commission on the same day. Judge Hunt assumed senior status
on June 30, 2005. His courtroom is located in the Richard B. Russell Federal Building and United States Courthouse in downtown Atlanta
.
Born in Malden
, Massachusetts
, Hunt graduated from Emory University
in 1954 with an LL.B.
Since graduation, Hunt has always been in government service or the private legal profession: after completing his degree, he served in the United States Army
from 1955–1957, after which he was a special agent with the FBI
from 1957-1959. Leaving the Bureau, he practiced law privately for thirteen years: in Clearwater, Florida
, 1959–1960; in Atlanta, Georgia, 1960–1967; and in the Houston County, Georgia
cities of Perry
and Warner Robins
, 1967-1971. At this time, Hunt re-entered government service, being a judge on the Houston County Superior Court from 1971-1986 before being elected to the Georgia Supreme Court in 1986. During his time on the Georgia Supreme Court, Hunt earned an LL.M.
from the University of Virginia School of Law
in 1990.
On January 23, 1995, Hunt was nominated by President Bill Clinton
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
vacated by Horace T. Ward. Hunt was confirmed by the United States Senate
on March 24, 1995, and received his commission the same day. Among Hunt's leading cases since his appointment to the federal bench was a major corruption trial in early 2001, in which the Atlanta Business Chronicle saw a connection to the scandals of the late Clinton administration. Hunt assumed senior status
on June 30, 2005, but continues to hear cases in that capacity, and received some media coverage when he dismissed as "farcical
" a lawsuit by prisoner Jonathan Lee Riches
against Michael Vick
.
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
serving on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia is a United States District Court which serves the residents of forty-six counties...
. Nominated by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
on January 23, 1995 to replace Horace Ward
Horace Ward
Horace Taliaferro Ward was the first African American to challenge the racially discriminatory practices at the University of Georgia School of Law....
, 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 March 24, 1995, and received his commission on the same day. Judge Hunt 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 June 30, 2005. His courtroom is located in the Richard B. Russell Federal Building and United States Courthouse in downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
.
Born in Malden
Malden, Massachusetts
Malden is a suburban city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 59,450 at the 2010 census. In 2009 Malden was ranked as the "Best Place to Raise Your Kids" in Massachusetts by Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine.-History:...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Hunt graduated from Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
in 1954 with an LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
Since graduation, Hunt has always been in government service or the private legal profession: after completing his degree, he served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1955–1957, after which he was a special agent with the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
from 1957-1959. Leaving the Bureau, he practiced law privately for thirteen years: in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
, 1959–1960; in Atlanta, Georgia, 1960–1967; and in the Houston County, Georgia
Houston County, Georgia
Houston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 15, 1821, as one of five huge counties, later reduced in the formation of Bibb, Crawford, Pike, Macon and Peach counties. As of the 2000 census, the population is 110,765...
cities of Perry
Perry, Georgia
Perry is a city in Houston county in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Warner Robins, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,600 at the 2000 census. This town is the county seat of Houston County...
and Warner Robins
Warner Robins, Georgia
Warner Robins is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located primarily in Houston County with a small portion in Peach County. The city has its own metropolitan statistical area . As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 48,804...
, 1967-1971. At this time, Hunt re-entered government service, being a judge on the Houston County Superior Court from 1971-1986 before being elected to the Georgia Supreme Court in 1986. During his time on the Georgia Supreme Court, Hunt earned an LL.M.
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
from the University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
in 1990.
On January 23, 1995, Hunt was nominated by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia is a United States District Court which serves the residents of forty-six counties...
vacated by Horace T. Ward. Hunt 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 March 24, 1995, and received his commission the same day. Among Hunt's leading cases since his appointment to the federal bench was a major corruption trial in early 2001, in which the Atlanta Business Chronicle saw a connection to the scandals of the late Clinton administration. Hunt 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 June 30, 2005, but continues to hear cases in that capacity, and received some media coverage when he dismissed as "farcical
Frivolous litigation
In law, frivolous litigation is the practice of starting or carrying on law suits that, due to their lack of legal merit, have little to no chance of being won. The term does not include cases that may be lost due to other matters not related to legal merit...
" a lawsuit by prisoner Jonathan Lee Riches
Jonathan Lee Riches
Jonathan Lee Riches is a prisoner known for the many lawsuits he has filed in various United States district courts. Riches is incarcerated at Federal Medical Center Lexington Kentucky, for wire fraud under the terms of a plea bargain. His projected release date is March 23, 2012...
against Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
.