James Edward Doyle
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
In office
July 7, 1980 – April 1, 1987
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
In office
1978–1980
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byBarbara Brandriff Crabb
United States District Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin
In office
May 22, 1965 – July 7, 1980
Appointed byLyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byDavid Rabinovitz
Succeeded byJohn C. Shabaz
Personal details
Born(1915-07-06)July 6, 1915
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedApril 1, 1987(1987-04-01) (aged 71)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Cause of deathCancer
Resting placeResurrection Cemetery, Madison
Political party
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1940⁠–⁠1987)​
Children3, including Jim Doyle
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison (A.B.)
Columbia Law School (LL.B.)
ProfessionLawyer
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy Reserve
Years of service1942–1946
Battles/warsWorld War II

James Edward Doyle Sr. (July 6, 1915 – April 1, 1987) was an American lawyer and jurist from Madison, Wisconsin. He served 22 years as a United States district judge for the Western District of Wisconsin, from 1965 until his death in 1987. Earlier in his life, as a former member of the disbanded Wisconsin Progressive Party, he played an important role in reshaping the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in the 1950s, and was the father of Jim Doyle, the 44th governor of Wisconsin.

Education and career

Born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Doyle received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1937 where he had been active in campus politics and was president of the Daily Cardinal Board of Control as well as senior class president.[1] He received a Bachelor of Laws from Columbia Law School in 1940. He was an attorney working in the Criminal Division, United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. from 1940 to 1941.[2] He was a law clerk for Justice James F. Byrnes of the United States Supreme Court from 1941 to 1942. He was a United States Naval Reserve lieutenant from 1942 to 1945.[2] He was a consultant for the United States Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion, Washington, D.C. in 1945. He was an assistant to the counselor at the United States Department of State in Washington, D.C. from 1945 to 1946. He was an Assistant United States Attorney of Western District of Wisconsin from 1946 to 1948. He was in private practice of law in Madison, Wisconsin from 1948 to 1965.[3] He was an early organizer of the Wisconsin Democratic Party[4] and chairman of the state party from 1951 to 1953.[5] He ran for Governor of Wisconsin in 1954, but lost in the Democratic primary to William Proxmire. He was executive director of the 1960 National Stevenson for President Committee formed to draft Adlai Stevenson as the Democratic nominee in the 1960 Presidential election.[6][7]

Federal judicial service

Doyle was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 29, 1965,[2] to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin vacated by Judge David Rabinovitz. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 21, 1965, and received his commission on May 22, 1965. He served as Chief Judge from 1978 to 1980. He assumed senior status on July 7, 1980. Doyle's service was terminated on April 1, 1987, due to his death from cancer at his Madison home.[2][3]

Personal life

Doyle was married to Ruth Bachhuber Doyle,[2] who served two terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly. They had four children, including Jim Doyle, who became the 44th governor of Wisconsin.[2][8]

References

  1. ^ Thompson, William F. (1988). The History of Wisconsin, Volume VI. Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin. pp. 562. ISBN 0-87020-122-0 (v.1)
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Doyle Funeral Saturday". Wausau Daily Herald. April 2, 1987. p. 20. Retrieved April 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ a b James Edward Doyle at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  4. ^ Nesbit, Robert Carrington; William F. Thompson (2004). Wisconsin: A History (II ed.). Univ of Wisconsin Press, Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin. p. 547. ISBN 9780299108045.
  5. ^ Bayley, Edwin R. (1981). "The 1952 Election". Joe McCarthy and the Press. Univ of Wisconsin Press. pp. 99, 100. ISBN 978-0-299-08624-4.
  6. ^ Doyle, James E., recorded interview by Charles T. Morrissey, January 15, 1966, (p. 1), John F. Kennedy Library Oral History Program]
  7. ^ Borowski, Greg J. (Oct 8, 2006). "Doyle Profile, Part 1: Seeds for race planted early". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Journal Sentinel Inc. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
  8. ^ "Doyle, Ruth Bachhuber". Madison West High School; Class of 1961, Condolances. pp. Mary Doyle – Death of her mother, May 2006. Archived from the original on 2012-02-14. Retrieved 2009-04-07.

Sources

Legal offices Preceded byDavid Rabinovitz United States District Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin 1965–1980 Succeeded byJohn C. Shabaz New office established Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin 1978–1980 Succeeded byBarbara Brandriff Crabb
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