Harry Blackmun

Harry Blackmun
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Current Court Information:
Supreme Court of the United States
Title:	Former Justice
Position:	Seat #3
Service:
Appointed by:	Richard Nixon
Active:	5/14/1970 - 8/3/1994
Senior:	8/3/1994 - 3/4/1999
Preceded by:	Abe Fortas
Succeeded by:	Stephen Breyer
Past post:	Eighth Circuit
Past term:	9/21/1959 - 6/8/1970
Personal History
Born:	November 12, 1908
Home State:	Nashville, IL
Deceased:	March 4, 1999
Undergraduate:	Harvard, A.B., 1929
Law School:	Harvard Law, LL.B., 1932

Harry Andrew Blackmun (1908 - 1999) was a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. He joined the court in 1970 after being nominated by Richard Nixon. At the time of his appointment, he was a judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He joined the circuit court in 1959 after an appointment from Dwight D. Eisenhower. He assumed senior status on August 3, 1994 and served until his death on March 4, 1999.

Early life and education

• Harvard College, A.B., 1929
• Harvard Law School, LL.B., 1932

Professional career

• Law clerk, Hon. John Benjamin Sanborn, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 1932-1933
• Private practice, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1934-1950
• Counsel, Mayo Organizations, Rochester, Minnesota, 1950-1959

Judicial career

Supreme Court

Justice Blackmun was nominated to the Supreme Court by Richard M. Nixon on April 15, 1970, to a seat vacated by Abe Fortas. He was confirmed by the Senate on May 12, 1970 and received his commission on May 14, 1970. He assumed senior status on August 3, 1994 and served until his death on March 4, 1999. He was succeeded to this post by Stephen Breyer.

Eighth Circuit

Blackmun was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit by Dwight D. Eisenhower on August 18, 1959, to a seat vacated by John Benjamin Sanborn. He was confirmed by the Senate on September 14, 1959 and received his commission on September 21, 1959. His service on the court ended on June 8, 1970 when he was appointed to the Supreme Court. He was succeeded to this post by Donald Ross.

Judicial philosophy

Quotes

	By placing discretion in the hands of an official to grant or deny a license, such a statute creates a threat of censorship that by its very existence chills free speech.

See also

• Supreme Court of the United States

External links

• Blackmun Biography from the Federal Judicial Center

References

Federal judicial offices
Preceded by: John Benjamin Sanborn	Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals 1959–1970	Succeeded by: Donald Ross
Preceded by: Abe Fortas	Supreme Court 1970–1994 Seat #3	Succeeded by: Stephen Breyer