Fred Kunzel Explained

Fred Kunzel
Office:Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California
Term Start:1967
Term End:1969
Predecessor:James Marshall Carter
Successor:Edward Joseph Schwartz
Office1:Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California
Term Start1:September 10, 1959
Term End1:November 19, 1969
Appointer1:Dwight D. Eisenhower
Predecessor1:Jacob Weinberger
Successor1:Howard Boyd Turrentine
Birth Name:Fred Kunzel
Birth Date:2 June 1901
Birth Place:Buffalo, New York
Education:Stanford University (A.B.)
Stanford Law School (J.D.)

Fred Kunzel (June 2, 1901 – November 19, 1969) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.

Education and career

Born in Buffalo, New York, Kunzel was a private in the United States Army during World War I, from 1917 to 1919. He received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Stanford University in 1925 and a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School in 1927. He was in private practice in San Diego, California from 1928 to 1959, and returned to military service as a Commander in the United States Naval Reserve in World War II, from 1942 to 1945.

Federal judicial service

On February 16, 1959, Kunzel was nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California vacated by Judge Jacob Weinberger. Kunzel was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 9, 1959, and received his commission the following day. He served as Chief Judge from 1967 until his death on November 19, 1969.