William H. Kirkpatrick | |
|---|---|
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| Senior Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania | |
| In office May 1, 1958 – November 28, 1970 | |
| Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania | |
| In office 1948–1958 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | James Cullen Ganey |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania | |
| In office March 3, 1927 – May 1, 1958 | |
| Appointed by | Calvin Coolidge |
| Preceded by | Seat established by 44 Stat. 1347 |
| Succeeded by | Harold Kenneth Wood |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's26th district | |
| In office March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1923 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Joseph Steele |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Wharton Phillips Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Huntington Kirkpatrick (1885-10-02)October 2, 1885 |
| Died | November 28, 1970(1970-11-28) (aged 85) Cumberstone,Maryland |
| Political party | Republican |
| Parent |
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| Education | Lafayette College (A.B.) University of Pennsylvania Law School |
William Huntington Kirkpatrick (October 2, 1885 – November 28, 1970) was aUnited States representative fromPennsylvania and aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Born the son ofWilliam Sebring Kirkpatrick inEaston,Northampton County,Pennsylvania, Kirkpatrick attended the public schools, then received anArtium Baccalaureus degree fromLafayette College in 1905 and attended theUniversity of Pennsylvania Law School.[1] He was admitted to the bar and entered private practice of law in Easton starting in 1908.[2] He served inWorld War I as major and lieutenant colonel,judge advocate, and was a member of the board of review ofcourts-martial in theUnited States Army.[1]
Kirkpatrick was elected as aRepublican to theUnited States House of Representatives of the67th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1921 until March 3, 1923.[1] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the68th United States Congress in 1922.[1] He resumed private practice in Easton from 1923 to 1927.[1]
Kirkpatrick was nominated by PresidentCalvin Coolidge on March 3, 1927, to theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to a new seat created by 44 Stat. 1347.[2] He was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on March 3, 1927, and received his commission the same day.[2] He served as Chief Judge from 1948 to 1958.[2] He assumedsenior status on May 1, 1958.[2] He was the last federal judge in active service to have been appointed to his position by President Coolidge.[a] His service was terminated on November 28, 1970, due to his death in Cumberstone,[3] an unincorporated community inAnne Arundel County,Maryland.[1] Interment was in Christ Church Cemetery in West River, Maryland.[1]
Kirkpatrick is remembered as "one of the unsung heroes of Americancorporate andsecurities law,"[4] issuing early but influential decisions inInsurance Shares Corp. v. Northern Fiscal Corp.,[5] which described circumstances in which a corporation's controlling shareholder has a fiduciary duty not to sell the control block to a looter, andKardon v. National Gypsum Co.,[6] first recognizing an implied private cause of action forRule 10b-5 violations.
Kirkpatrick was a trustee to Lafayette College from 1933 to 1961.[7]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's 26th congressional district 1921–1923 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Seat established by 44 Stat. 1347 | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania 1927–1958 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Office established | Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania 1948–1958 | Succeeded by |
