Thomas Walter Swan

Thomas Walter Swan (December 20, 1877 – July 13, 1975) was a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

For other people with a similar name, see Thomas Swann (disambiguation).

Thomas Walter Swan
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
In office July 1, 1953 – July 13, 1975
Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
In office 1951–1953
Preceded by	Learned Hand
Succeeded by	Harrie B. Chase
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
In office December 22, 1926 – July 1, 1953
Appointed by	Calvin Coolidge
Preceded by	Henry Wade Rogers
Succeeded by	Carroll C. Hincks
Personal details
Born	Thomas Walter Swan (1877-12-20)December 20, 1877 Norwich, Connecticut
Died	July 13, 1975(1975-07-13) (aged 97)
Education	Yale University (A.B.) Harvard Law School (LL.B.)

Education and career

Born in Norwich, Connecticut Swan received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Yale University in 1900. He received a Bachelor of Laws from Harvard Law School in 1903. He was in private practice of law in Chicago, Illinois from 1903 to 1916. He was a lecturer in law at the University of Chicago from 1903 to 1904, and in 1908. He was Dean and Professor of Law at Yale Law School from 1916 to 1927.[1]

Federal judicial service

Swan was nominated by President Calvin Coolidge on December 15, 1926, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated by Judge Henry Wade Rogers. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 22, 1926, and received his commission the same day. He served as Chief Judge and as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1951 to 1953. He assumed senior status on July 1, 1953. His service was terminated on July 13, 1975, due to his death.[1]

Notable decisions as sitting judge

• Nichols v. Universal Pictures Corp. - 1930
• United States v. One Package of Japanese Pessaries - 1936
• United States v. Peoni - 1938
• Kenan v. Commissioner - 1940
• United States v. Crimmins - 1941
• United States v. Alcoa - 1945
• Farid-Es-Sultaneh v. Commissioner - 1947
• United States v. Drescher - 1950
• American Communications Ass'n v. Douds - 1950
• Wilko v. Swan - 1953
• Stanton v. United States - 1959

References

1. "Swan, Thomas Walter - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.

Sources

• "Swan, Thomas Walter - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
• Gunther, Gerald (April 12, 1994). Learned Hand : the man and the judge. with a foreword by Lewis F. Powell, Jr. New York, NY: Knopf. ISBN 0-394-58807-X. LCCN 93022868. LCC KF373.H29 G76 1994. (biography of Learned Hand, Swan's fellow judge on the Second Circuit, contains extensive discussion of Swan)
• Marcia Nelson, The Remarkable Hands: An Affectionate Portrait (Federal Bar Foundation 1983)
• Marvin Schick, Learned Hand's Court (Johns Hopkins 1970)

Academic offices
Preceded by Henry Wade Rogers	Dean of Yale Law School 1916–1927	Succeeded by Robert Maynard Hutchins
Legal offices
Preceded by Henry Wade Rogers	Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 1926–1953	Succeeded by Carroll C. Hincks
Preceded by Learned Hand	Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 1951–1953	Succeeded by Harrie B. Chase