Martin Donald Van Oosterhout Explained

Martin Donald Van Oosterhout
Office:Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Term Start:July 6, 1971
Term End:January 28, 1979
Office1:Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Term Start1:1968
Term End1:1970
Predecessor1:Charles Joseph Vogel
Successor1:Marion Charles Matthes
Office2:Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Term Start2:August 26, 1954
Term End2:July 6, 1971
Appointer2:Dwight D. Eisenhower
Predecessor2:Seth Thomas
Successor2:Roy Laverne Stephenson
Office3:Member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 81st district
Term Start3:January 9, 1939
Term End3:January 10, 1943
Predecessor3:Albert Beltman
Successor3:Anthony Te Paske
Birth Name:Martin Donald Van Oosterhout
Birth Date:10 October 1900
Birth Place:Orange City, Iowa
Party:Republican
Children:1
Mother:Sarah
Father:Peter
Education:University of Iowa (BA)
University of Iowa College of Law (JD)

Martin Donald Van Oosterhout (October 10, 1900 – January 28, 1979) was a legislator and state court judge in northwestern Iowa, and a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Education and career

Born in Orange City, Iowa, Van Oosterhout received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1922, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1924. He was in private practice in Orange City from 1924 to 1933. In the last four of those years (from 1929 to 1933) he also served as a Republican member of the Iowa House of Representatives. He was a Judge of the 21st Judicial District of Iowa from 1933 to 1954.

Federal judicial service

On August 16, 1954, Van Oosterhout was nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated when a fellow Iowan, Judge Seth Thomas, assumed senior status. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 20, 1954, and received his commission on August 26, 1954. He served as Chief Judge and member of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1968 to 1970. He assumed senior status on July 6, 1971. He was a Judge of the Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals from 1972 to 1977. He served in senior status until his death on January 28, 1979.

Personal life

Van Oosterhout's parents were Peter and Sarah. He was married to Ethel Greenway, with whom he had one son, Peter Denne.[1]

Notes and References

  1. News: Martin D. Van Oosterhout . May 17, 2020 . Iowa General Assembly.