Robert Echols
| Robert Echols | |
| Current Court Information: | |
| United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee | |
| Title: | Former Federal Judge |
| Position: | Seat #4 |
| Service: | |
| Appointed by: | George H.W. Bush |
| Active: | 3/18/1992 - 3/1/2007 |
| Chief: | 1998 - 2005 |
| Senior: | 3/1/2007 - 7/31/2010 |
| Preceded by: | 104 Stat. 5089 |
| Succeeded by: | Kevin Hunter Sharp |
| Personal History | |
| Born: | 1941 |
| Home State: | Memphis, TN |
| Bachelors: | Rhodes College, B.A., 1962 |
| Law School: | U. of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 1964 |
| Military service: | U.S. Army 1966 |
Contents |
Robert L. Echols was an Article III federal judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. He joined the court in 1992 after being nominated by President George H.W. Bush. Echols is serving on senior status. Echols retired from the bench in July 22, 2010.[1]
Early life and education
A native of Memphis, Echols graduated from Rhodes College with his Bachelor's Degree in 1962 and from the University of Tennessee Law School with his juris doctor degree in 1964. Echols also enlisted and served in the US Army in 1966. [2]
Professional career
Echols started his legal career as a law clerk for former federal judge Marion Boyd in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee from 1965 to 1966. From 1967 to 1969, Echols served as a Legislative Assistant for former Republican Congressman Dan Kuykendall from 1967 to 1969. From 1969 to 1992, Echols was a private practice attorny in Nashville and also served as a Night Commissioner in Davidson County from 1974 to 1975. [2]
Judicial career
Middle District of Tennessee
On the recommendation of Congressman Jimmy Quillen, Echols was nominated to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee by President George H.W. Bush on October 22, 1991 to a new judgeship created by 104 Stat. 5089. Echols was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 13, 1992 on a Senate Vote and received commission on March 18, 1992. Echols served as the chief judge for the court from 1998 to 2005 before assuming senior status on March 1, 2007. [2] Echols was succeeded in this position by Kevin Hunter Sharp.
Notable cases
Cecil Johnson stay of execution
Judge Echols on November 30, 2009, denied a stay of execution request from Cecil Johnson's legal team. Johnson, who was sentenced to death in 1980 for the murder of three people, has been on death row for three decades. Attorneys for Johnson said that his civil rights were violated for being on death row for three decades. The judge, however, felt that if a stay was granted that it would undermine the court's original decision[3].
External links
References
| Federal judicial offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: NA-New Seat |
Middle District of Tennessee 1982–2007 Seat #4 |
Succeeded by: Kevin Hunter Sharp |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active judges |
Chief Judge: Todd CampbellChief Judge: William Haynes • Aleta Trauger • Kevin Hunter Sharp | ||
| Senior judges | |||
| Magistrate judges | Juliet Griffin • Clifton Knowles • Joe Brown • John Bryant • | ||
| Former Article III judges |
Robert Echols • Morgan Welles Brown • West Hughes Humphreys • Connally Findlay Trigg • William Miller • David McKendree Key • Charles Dickens Clark • Edward Terry Sanford • John Gore • Xenophon Hicks • Leslie Darr • Elmer Davies • Leland Clure Morton • Thomas Higgins • Frank Gray • | ||
| Former Chief judges |
Thomas Wiseman • John Nixon • Robert Echols • William Miller • Elmer Davies • Leland Clure Morton • Frank Gray • | ||
