William Morris Sparks Explained

William Morris Sparks
Office:Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Term Start:November 13, 1948
Term End:January 7, 1950
Office1:Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Term1:1948
Predecessor1:Office established
Successor1:James Earl Major
Office2:Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Term Start2:October 31, 1929
Term End2:November 13, 1948
Appointer2:Herbert Hoover
Predecessor2:Albert B. Anderson
Successor2:Philip J. Finnegan
Birth Name:William Morris Sparks
Birth Date:28 April 1872
Birth Place:Charlottesville, Indiana
Death Place:Rushville, Indiana
Education:DePauw University (AB)
Indiana Law School
read law

William Morris Sparks (April 28, 1872 – January 7, 1950) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Education and career

Born in Charlottesville, Indiana, Sparks received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from DePauw University in 1896, attended Indiana Law School (now Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law), and read law to enter the Bar in 1896. He was a deputy prosecuting attorney of Rush County, Indiana from 1896 to 1898, then entered private practice in Rushville, Indiana from 1897 to 1901. He was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1901 to 1903. He was a Judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court of Indiana from 1904 to 1910, returning to private practice in Rushville from 1910 to 1914, and again assuming his Circuit Court judgeship from 1914 to 1929.

Federal judicial service

On October 25, 1929, Sparks was nominated by President Herbert Hoover to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit vacated by Judge Albert B. Anderson. Sparks was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 31, 1929, and received his commission the same day. He served as Chief Judge and as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States in 1948, assuming senior status on November 13, 1948. Sparks served in that capacity until his death on January 7, 1950, in Rushville.