Donald Eugene O'Brien | |
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| Senior Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa | |
| In office December 30, 1992 – August 18, 2015 | |
| Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa | |
| In office 1985–1992 | |
| Preceded by | Edward Joseph McManus |
| Succeeded by | Michael Joseph Melloy |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa | |
| In office October 5, 1978 – December 30, 1992 | |
| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | William Cook Hanson |
| Succeeded by | Mark W. Bennett |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa | |
| In office October 5, 1978 – December 1, 1990 | |
| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | William Cook Hanson |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa | |
| In office 1961–1967 | |
| Appointed by | John F. Kennedy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Donald Eugene O'Brien (1923-09-30)September 30, 1923 Marcus, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | August 18, 2015(2015-08-18) (aged 91) Sioux City, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Creighton University School of Law (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army Air Corps |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
Donald Eugene O'Brien (September 30, 1923 – August 18, 2015) was aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa and theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. He was an officer in theUnited States Army Air Corps inWorld War II, a Democratic nominee for theUnited States House of Representatives, aUnited States Attorney, and a political organizer.[1]
O'Brien was born inMarcus,Iowa to Michael J. and Myrtle O'Brien on September 30, 1923. He interrupted his college coursework at Trinity College inSioux City, Iowa to serve as a lieutenant in theUnited States Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945. He flew 30 bombing missions over Europe and receiving theDistinguished Flying Cross.[2] After completing his undergraduate studies at Trinity College, he enteredCreighton University School of Law, graduating in 1948 with aBachelor of Laws. He was in private practice in Sioux City from 1948 to 1949, before becoming an assistant city attorney of Sioux City in 1949. He married Ruth Mahon in 1950. In 1952 he chaired theAdlai Stevenson's presidential campaign in his Iowa congressional district.[3] After serving as theCounty Attorney ofWoodbury County, Iowa from 1955 to 1958, he served as a Sioux City municipal judge from 1959 to 1960.
In 1958 and again in 1960 O'Brien was the Democratic nominee to representIowa's 8th congressional district in theUnited States House of Representatives,[4] but lost both races to longtime Republican incumbentCharles B. Hoeven.[5] In 1961 PresidentJohn F. Kennedy appointed him theUnited States Attorney for theNorthern District of Iowa, a position he held until 1967. Soon after leaving office, he became an advance man in the1968 presidential campaigns ofRobert F. Kennedy,[6] thenGeorge McGovern,[7] and laterHubert H. Humphrey.[8] He was in private practice in Sioux City from 1967 to 1978. He organized McGovern's general election campaign in Southern California in 1972 andJimmy Carter's general election campaign in Michigan in 1976.[9] In 1977 he served as special counsel to a subcommittee of theUnited States House Committee on Small Business for its investigation of anti-competitive practices in themeat industry.[9]
From 1962 to 1979 Iowa had three federal district judges — one in theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, one in theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, and a third serving both Districts. On September 27, 1978 Carter nominated O'Brien to succeed JudgeWilliam C. Hanson in the third of those positions. O'Brien was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on October 4, 1978, and received his commission on October 5, 1978. O'Brien presided in the western and central divisions of both Districts until December 1, 1990, when he began to serve exclusively in the Northern District as a new judgeship was added in the Southern District. He served as Chief Judge of the Northern District from 1985 to 1992. O'Brien assumedsenior status on December 30, 1992, and continued to preside over cases from chambers in Sioux City, until his death on August 18, 2015, in Sioux City.[10]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa 1978–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa 1978–1990 | Succeeded by Seat abolished | |
| Preceded by | Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa 1985–1992 | Succeeded by |