James Robertson Nowlin

James Robertson Nowlin (born November 21, 1937) is a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and a former state legislator.

James Robertson Nowlin
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
Assumed office
May 31, 2003
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
In office
1999–2003
Preceded byHarry Lee Hudspeth
Succeeded byWalter Scott Smith Jr.
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
In office
October 26, 1981  May 31, 2003
Appointed byRonald Reagan
Preceded byJack Roberts
Succeeded byEarl Leroy Yeakel III
Texas State Representative for District 57-F (Bexar County)
In office
January 1973  November 6, 1981
Succeeded byLamar S. Smith
Texas State Representative for District 57-4 (Bexar County)
In office
January 1967  January 1971
Succeeded byLou Kost, Jr.
Personal details
Born
James Robertson Nowlin

(1937-11-21) November 21, 1937
San Antonio, Texas
Political partyDemocratic (until 1971)
Republican (from 1971)
ResidenceBastrop County, Texas
EducationTrinity University (B.A., M.A.)
University of Texas School of Law (J.D.)

Education and career

Born in San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas, Nowlin received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity University in 1959, a Master of Arts from Trinity University in 1962, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law in 1963. He was in the United States Army as a captain from 1959 to 1960. He was in the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army Reserve from 1960 to 1968 and in private practice in San Antonio from 1963 to 1965. He was from 1965 to 1966 a legal counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare in Washington, D.C.[1]

Legislative service

Nowlin was a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1967 to 1971 and a Republican from 1973 to 1981.[2] In 1973, he and Joe Sage became the first two Republicans to represent Bexar County in the Texas legislature.[3] Rather than seeking a third consecutive term in the House, Nowlin ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in 1970 for the Texas State Senate.[2] Nowlin returned to the private practice of law in San Antonio in 1966 and remained so engaged until 1981.

Federal judicial service

On September 17, 1981, United States President Ronald Reagan nominated Nowlin to a seat vacated by Judge Jack Roberts. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 21, 1981, and received his commission on October 26, 1981. He served as Chief Judge from 1999 to 2003. On May 31, 2003, he assumed senior status.[1]

Personal

Upon his death, Judge Nowlin will be interred at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.[2]

References

  1. James Robertson Nowlin at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  2. "James Nowlin". Texas Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  3. "History of the Republican Party of Bexar County". bexargop.org. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.

Sources

Legal offices
Preceded by
Jack Roberts
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
1981–2003
Succeeded by
Earl Leroy Yeakel III
Preceded by
Harry Lee Hudspeth
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
1999–2003
Succeeded by
Walter Scott Smith Jr.
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