William Schwarzer

William Schwarzer

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Prior offices

United States District Court for the Northern District of California

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Education

Bachelor's

University of Southern California, 1948

Law

Harvard Law School, 1951

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William Schwarzer was a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Schwarzer served from July 23, 1976, until April 30, 1991. He elected to take senior status beginning April 30, 1991, and served in that capacity until his death on January 28, 2017.

Schwarzer was the 2004 recipient of the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. The panel awarding him the honor said, "Judge Schwarzer has been a brilliant, distinguished, compassionate servant of the law and has served as a federal judge for nearly three decades. Members of the bench and the bar nationwide are indebted to Judge Schwarzer for his example and his service, and for his remarkable contributions to the judiciary."

Early life and education

Born in Germany and later turned American Citizen, Schwarzer graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) with his bachelor's degree in 1948 and later graduated from Harvard Law School with his law degree in 1951. Schwarzer also served as a U.S. Army Second Lieutenant from 1943 to 1947.

Professional career

Schwarzer began his legal career as a teaching fellow at Harvard Law School from 1951 to 1952 before spending the rest of his pre-judicial legal career as a private practice attorney licensed in the State of California from 1952 to 1976. Schwarzer also served as senior counsel for the President's Commission on CIA Activities within the United States, known as the Rockefeller Commission, in 1975.

Awards and associations

• 2004: Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award, American Judicature Society

Judicial career

Northern District of California

Schwarzer was nominated by President Gerald R. Ford on June 2, 1976, to a seat vacated by Albert Wollenberg as Wollenberg assumed senior status. Schwarzer was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 23, 1976, on a Senate vote and received commission on July 23, 1976. Schwarzer took senior status beginning on April 30, 1991, and served as a senior federal judge until his death on January 28, 2017. Schwarzer served as the director of the Federal Judicial Center from 1990 to 1995.

See also

• United States District Court for the Northern District of California
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

External links

• Judge Schwarzer's biography at the Federal Judicial Center

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by: Albert Wollenberg	Northern District of California 1976–1991 Seat #2	Succeeded by: Barbara Caulfield