John A. Field Jr. Explained

John Field
Office:Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review
Term Start:May 19, 1982
Term End:May 18, 1989
Appointer:Warren E. Burger
Predecessor:George MacKinnon
Successor:Robert W. Warren
Office1:Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Term Start1:April 1, 1976
Term End1:December 16, 1995
Office2:Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Term Start2:September 22, 1971
Term End2:April 1, 1976
Appointer2:Richard Nixon
Predecessor2:Herbert Stephenson Boreman
Successor2:Kenneth Keller Hall
Office3:Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
Term Start3:August 13, 1959
Term End3:October 7, 1971
Predecessor3:Ben Moore
Successor3:Sidney Lee Christie
Office4:Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
Term Start4:August 13, 1959
Term End4:October 7, 1971
Appointer4:Dwight D. Eisenhower
Predecessor4:Ben Moore
Successor4:Kenneth Keller Hall
Birth Name:John A. Field Jr.
Birth Date:22 March 1910
Birth Place:Charleston, West Virginia
Death Place:Naples, Florida
Party:Republican
Education:
University of Virginia School of Law (LLB)

John A. Field Jr. (March 22, 1910 – December 16, 1995) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and previously was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.

Education and career

Born in Charleston, West Virginia, Field received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Hampden–Sydney College in 1932 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1935. He was in private practice in Charleston from 1935 to 1943. He was in the United States Navy during World War II, from 1944 to 1946. He returned to private practice in Charleston from 1947 to 1957, and was member of the Charleston City Council from 1947 to 1951, and president of that body from 1951 to 1955. He unsuccessfully ran as a Republican candidate for West Virginia state attorney general in 1956, but was instead appointed state tax commissioner from 1957 to 1959.

Federal judicial service

On May 11, 1959, Field was nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia vacated by Judge Ben Moore. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 12, 1959, and received his commission the following day. He served as Chief Judge from 1959 to 1971. His service terminated on October 7, 1971, due to his elevation to the Fourth Circuit.

On September 8, 1971, Field was nominated by President Richard Nixon to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit vacated by Judge Herbert Stephenson Boreman. He was confirmed by the Senate on September 21, 1971, and received his commission on September 22, 1971. He assumed senior status on April 1, 1976. He served as a Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review from May 19, 1982, to May 18, 1989. His service terminated on December 16, 1995, due to his death in Naples, Florida.