Napoleon Jones

Napoleon Jones
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Current Court Information:
United States District Court for the Southern District of California
Title:	Former Judge
Position:	Seat #6
Service:
Appointed by:	Bill Clinton
Active:	9/15/1994 - 9/17/2007
Senior:	9/17/2007 - 12/12/2009
Preceded by:	Earl Gilliam
Succeeded by:	Michael Anello
Personal History
Bachelors:	San Diego State University, B.A., 1962
Law School:	University of San Diego School of Law, J.D., 1971
Grad. School:	San Diego State University, M.S.W., 1967
Military service:	U.S. Army 1962-1965

Napoleon A. Jones, Jr. (b.1940-d.2009) is a former federal judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. He joined the court in 1994 after being nominated by President Bill Clinton. Jones died from cancer on December 12, 2009.

Early life and education

Jones graduated from San Diego State with his Bachelor's Degree in 1962 and his Master's in Social Work in 1967 before later graduating from the University of San Diego School of Law with his Juris Doctorate degree in 1971. Jones served in the US Army from 1962 to 1965 on active duty.

Professional career

Jones began his legal career with California Rural Legal Assistance based in Modesto from 1971 to 1973. Jones worked with the organization as a Legal intern from 1971 to 1972 and as a Staff attorney from 1972 to 1973. Jones later became a Staff attorney for Defenders, Inc. based in San Diego from 1973 to 1975 before spending two years as a private practice attorney California from 1975 to 1977. Jones became a Municipal Court Judge in the San Diego Municipal Court from 1977 to 1982 before becoming a Superior Court Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court from 1982 to 1994.

Judicial career

Southern District of California

On the recommendations of U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstien and Barbara Boxer, Jones was nominated by Bill Clinton on June 8, 1994 to a seat vacated by Earl Gilliam as Gilliam assumed senior status. Lorenz was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 14, 1994 on a majority voice vote and received commission on September 15, 1994. Jones later assumed senior status on September 19, 2007.

Notable cases

Boy scouts case

One case that Judge Jones will be remembered was his ruling in a case involving the Boy Scouts of America in 2003. The judge ruled in 2003 that the Boy Scouts were a religious, but non-sectarian organization in which agreements with local governments were found in violation of church and state. This came when the Boy Scouts were sued over a lease of a city-owned land in Southern California.

External links

• Judge Jones' Biography at the Federal Judicial Center

References

Federal judicial offices
Preceded by: Earl Gilliam	Southern District of California 1994–2007 Seat #6	Succeeded by: Michael Anello