Martin Augustine Knapp

Martin Augustine Knapp
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Current Court Information:
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Title:	Former Judge
Alternative court:	United States Commerce Court
Service:
Appointed by:	William Howard Taft
Active:	1/1/1916 - 2/10/1923
Preceded by:	New Seat
Succeeded by:	Closed seat
Past post:	Second Circuit
Past term:	12/20/1910 - 1/1/1916
Past position:	Seat #5t
Personal History
Born:	November 6, 1843
Home State:	Spafford, NY
Deceased:	February 10, 1923
Bachelors:	Wesleyan University, B.A., 1868
Law School:	Read law, 1869

Martin Augustine Knapp (1843-1923) was a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States Commerce Court. Knapp first joined the Second Circuit and the Commerce Court, jointly, with an appointment from President William H. Taft in 1910. At the time of his appointment, he was a private practice attorney. His service on the Commerce Court ended on December 13, 1913 with the abolition of the court. He continued to serve on the Second Circuit until he was assigned to the Fourth Circuit in 1916. His service ended with his death on February 10, 1923.

Early life and education

• Wesleyan University, B.A., 1868
• Read law, 1869

Professional career

• Private practice, Syracuse, New York, 1870-
• Corporation counsel, Syracuse, New York, 1877-1883
• Member, Interstate Commerce Commission, 1897-1910
• Chairman, 1898-1910

Judicial career

Fourth Circuit

Knapp was reassigned to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on January 1, 1916. He served until his death on February 10, 1923.

Second Circuit and Commerce Court

Knapp was appointed the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the United States Commerce Court on a concurrent appointment on December 12, 1910 by William H. Taft to a new seat created by statute 36 Stat. 539. The statute permitted Taft to appoint up to 5 judges to the Commerce Court who would serve concurrent posts on Appellate courts with overburdened jurisdictions. Posts on the Commerce Court were designed to last 5 years when sitting appellate judges would be transferred to the court to cover vacancies. However, the court was terminated just two years later on December 31, 1911. The judges appointed to the court retained their temporary posts on the Appellate courts to which they were assigned. Knapp remained on the Second Circuit until he was transferred to the Fourth Circuit in 1916.

See also

• United States Commerce Court
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

External links

• Judge Knapp's Biography from the Federal Judicial Center

References

Federal judicial offices
Preceded by: NA - new seat	Commerce Court 1910–1913	Succeeded by: NA - court abolished
Preceded by: NA - new seat	Second Circuit 1910–1916 Seat #5t	Succeeded by: NA-closed seat
Preceded by: NA - reassigned	Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals 1916–1923	Succeeded by: NA-closed seat