William H. Yohn Jr. Explained

William Hendricks Yohn Jr.
Office:Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Term Start:November 20, 2003
Office1:Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Term Start1:September 16, 1991
Term End1:November 20, 2003
Appointer1:George H. W. Bush
Predecessor1:John P. Fullam
Successor1:Gene E. K. Pratter
State House2:Pennsylvania
District2:146th
Term Start2:1969
Term End2:1980
Predecessor2:District created
Successor2:Robert D. Reber Jr.
Birth Name:William Hendricks Yohn Jr.
Birth Place:Pottstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education:Princeton University (BA)
Yale University (JD)

William Hendricks Yohn Jr. (born November 20, 1935) is an inactive senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Education and career

Yohn was born in 1935 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.[1] Yohn graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957 and received his Juris Doctor from the Yale Law School in 1960. He also attended the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1960 to 1961, and continued in the reserves until 1965. He was in private practice in Pottstown from 1961 to 1981. During that time, Yohn served as an assistant district attorney (1962–1965) and as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1968 to 1980. In 1981 he was elected as a judge on the court of common pleas for Montgomery County, a position he held until 1991.

Federal judicial service

Yohn was nominated by President George H. W. Bush on June 14, 1991, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania vacated by Judge John P. Fullam. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 12, 1991, and received commission on September 16, 1991. He assumed senior status on November 20, 2003.

Vincent Fumo case

Yohn was assigned to be the Judge during the Vincent Fumo corruption trial in Philadelphia Federal Court in September 2008. On September 14, 2008, The Philadelphia Inquirer announced that Yohn had been hospitalized. He had been suffering from a cough and had complained in court last week about viruslike symptoms.[2] As of September 30, 2008, Yohn was replaced as the judge in the Fumo case.[3] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Pennsylvania Manual. Pennsylvania. Dept. of General Services. Pennsylvania. Bureau of Publications. Pennsylvania. Dept. of Property and Supplies. 1976. 103. Department of General Services. 0275-8814. 2015-01-03.
  2. News: Lounsberry. Emilie. Judge's illness delays Fumo corruption trial. The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 15, 2008. http://articles.philly.com/2008-09-17/news/25247712_1_corruption-trial-jury-selection-prospective-jurors. September 17, 2008.
  3. News: Federal judge in Fumo corruption trial replaced. The Legal Intelligencer. September 30, 2008. Associated Press. subscription .
  4. News: McCoy. Craig R.. Judge in Fumo trial is replaced. August 23, 2015. The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 30, 2008.