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John Cooper Godbold
John Cooper Godbold
Installed October 23, 1987
Term ended December 22, 2009
Personal details
Born
John Cooper Godbold

(1920-03-04)March 4, 1920
Coy, Alabama
Died December 22, 2009(2009-12-22) (aged 89)
Montgomery, Alabama
Education Auburn University (B.S.)
Harvard Law School (J.D.)

John Cooper Godbold (March 24, 1920 – December 22, 2009) was a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Education and career[]

Born in Coy, Alabama, Godbold received a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University in 1940 and was a Major in the United States Army, Division Artillery Headquarters during World War II, from 1941 to 1946. He received a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1948, and was in private practice in Montgomery, Alabama from 1948 to 1966.[1]

Federal judicial service[]

Godbold was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on June 28, 1966, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated by Judge Richard Rives. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 22, 1966, and received his commission the same day. He served as a board member of the Federal Judicial Center from 1976 to 1981. He served as Chief Judge in 1981. He was reassigned by operation of law to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on October 1, 1981. He served as Chief Judge and a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1981 to 1986. He assumed senior status on October 23, 1987. He was Director of the Federal Judicial Center from 1987 to 1990. His service terminated on December 22, 2009, due to his death in Montgomery.[1]

Other service[]

Concurrent with his federal judicial service, Godbold was a Professor of Law at the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University from 1990 until his death.[1]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2
    • John Cooper Godbold at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Sources[]

  • John Cooper Godbold at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Richard Rives
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
1966–1981
Succeeded by
Seat abolished
Preceded by
James P. Coleman
Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
1981
Succeeded by
Charles Clark
Preceded by
Seat established by 94 Stat. 1994
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
1981–1987
Succeeded by
Emmett Ripley Cox
Preceded by
Office established
Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
1981–1986
Succeeded by
Paul Hitch Roney
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