James DeAnda: Difference between revisions

James DeAnda
James DeAnda
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
	In office; 1988–1992
Preceded by	John Virgil Singleton Jr.
Succeeded by	Norman William Black
Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
	In office; May 11, 1979 – October 1, 1992
Appointed by	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	Seat established by 92 Stat. 1629
Succeeded by	Nancy Atlas
Personal details
Born	James DeAnda; August 21, 1925; Houston, Texas
Died	September 7, 2006 (aged 81); Traverse City, Michigan
Education	Texas A&M University (BA); University of Texas School of Law (LLB)

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James DeAnda (August 21, 1925 – September 7, 2006) was an American attorney and United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, noted for his activities in defense of Hispanic civil rights, particularly as a plaintiff's attorney in Hernandez v. Texas.

Early life and education

Born in Houston, Texas to Mexican immigrants, DeAnda's attendance at Texas A&M University was interrupted by World War II service in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific. Graduating from Texas A&M with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948, he then received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Texas School of Law in 1950. He was in private practice in Houston from 1951 to 1955, and in Corpus Christi, Texas from 1955 to 1979. In the early 1950s, he was on the plaintiff's team in Hernandez v. Texas, writing most of the briefs. In the late 1960s, he was among those who organized the Texas Rural Legal Assistance Organization and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.^[1]

Federal judicial service

On February 13, 1979, DeAnda was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas created by 92 Stat. 1629. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 10, 1979, and received his commission on May 11, 1979. He served as Chief Judge from 1988 until retiring from the bench on October 1, 1992. After retirement, he returned to private practice in Houston until 2005.^[1]

Discrimination

DeAnda reported later in life that he had not faced much discrimination during his schooling, possibly due to his more Mediterranean-sounding surname and light complexion. However, upon graduation from the University of Texas, he discovered that initially promising interviews with elite law firms led to no follow-up once the potential employers learned that his parents were from Mexico. As a result, he ended up practicing law alongside other Mexican-American lawyers in Houston like John J. Herrera, working to provide counsel to Hispanics up and down the Gulf Coast who could not find equitable representation elsewhere. It was in this capacity that he came face to face with the discrimination Mexican-Americans faced daily in the 1950s.^[2]

Death

DeAnda died of prostate cancer at his vacation home in Traverse City, Michigan, on September 7, 2006, aged 81.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c James DeAnda at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
^ Wilson, Steven H., Law and History Review Vol. 21, Issue 1, "Brown over 'Other White': Mexican Americans' Legal Arguments and Litigation Strategy in School Desegregation Lawsuits Archived 2012-09-30 at the Wayback Machine," Spring 2003

Sources

Austin American-Statesman, "Retired judge fought to defend Hispanics civil rights in Texas", 10 September 2006
Houston Chronicle, "James deAnda" (editorial), 8 September 2006
Ruiz, Rosanna, Houston Chronicle, "Houston judge had a major role in a landmark ruling on Hispanic rights", 8 September 2006

External links

James DeAnda at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Seat established by 92 Stat. 1629	Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas 1979–1992	Succeeded by Nancy Atlas
Preceded by John Virgil Singleton Jr.	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas 1988–1992	Succeeded by Norman William Black

[auto-1] James DeAnda at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

[2] Wilson, Steven H., Law and History Review Vol. 21, Issue 1, "Brown over 'Other White': Mexican Americans' Legal Arguments and Litigation Strategy in School Desegregation Lawsuits Archived 2012-09-30 at the Wayback Machine," Spring 2003

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|American judge (1925–2006)}}
 {{Infobox officeholder
+| honorific-prefix =
-| name = James DeAnda
+| name          = James DeAnda
-| image =
+| honorific-suffix =
-| alt =
+| image         =
-| caption =
-| office = Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]]
+| alt           =
+| caption       =
+| office        = Chief Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]]
-| term_start = 1979
+| term_start    = 1988
-| term_end = 1992
+| term_end      = 1992
-| predecessor = ''New seat''
+| predecessor   = [[John Virgil Singleton Jr.]]
-| successor = [[Nancy Friedman Atlas]]
+| successor     = [[Norman William Black]]
+| office1       = Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]]
-| birth_date = {{birth date|1925|8|21}}
+| term_start1   = May 11, 1979
-| birth_place = [[Houston, Texas]], U.S.
+| term_end1     = October 1, 1992
-| death_date = {{death date and age|2006|9|7|1925|8|21}}
+| nominator1    =
-| death_place = [[Traverse City, Michigan]], U.S.
+| appointer1    = [[List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter|Jimmy Carter]]
-| alma_mater = [[University of Texas]]
+| predecessor1  = ''Seat established by 92 Stat. 1629''
+| successor1    = [[Nancy Atlas]]
+| pronunciation =
+| birth_name    = James DeAnda
+| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1925|08|21}}
+| birth_place   = [[Houston]], [[Texas]]
+| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2006|09|07|1925|08|21}}
+| death_place   = [[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]], [[Michigan]]
+| death_cause   =
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+| education     = [[Texas A&M University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[University of Texas School of Law]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])
+| alma_mater    =
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+| website       =
+<!--Embedded templates / Footnotes-->
+| footnotes     =
 }}
-'''James DeAnda''' (August 21, 1925 &ndash; September 7, 2006) was an American attorney and [[United States federal judge]], noted for his activities in defense of Hispanic civil rights, particularly as a plaintiff's attorney in [[Hernandez v. Texas]].
+'''James DeAnda''' (August 21, 1925 – September 7, 2006) was an American attorney and [[United States federal judge|United States district judge]] of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]], noted for his activities in defense of Hispanic civil rights, particularly as a plaintiff's attorney in [[Hernandez v. Texas]].
 ==Early life and education==
-Born in [[Houston, Texas]] to Mexican immigrants, DeAnda's attendance at [[Texas A&M University|Texas A&M]] was interrupted by [[World War II]] service in the [[United States Marine Corps]] in the Pacific. Graduating from Texas A&M in 1948, he then received an [[LL.B.]] from the [[University of Texas]] in 1950.
+Born in [[Houston]], [[Texas]] to Mexican immigrants, DeAnda's attendance at [[Texas A&M University]] was interrupted by [[World War II]] service in the [[United States Marine Corps]] in the Pacific. Graduating from Texas A&M with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in 1948, he then received a [[Bachelor of Laws]] from the [[University of Texas School of Law]] in 1950. He was in private practice in Houston from 1951 to 1955, and in [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]], Texas from 1955 to 1979. In the early 1950s, he was on the plaintiff's team in [[Hernandez v. Texas]], writing most of the briefs. In the late 1960s, he was among those who organized the Texas Rural Legal Assistance Organization and the [[Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund]].<ref name="auto">{{FJC Bio|592|nid=1379916|name=James DeAnda<!--(1925–2006)-->}}</ref>
-==Career==
-DeAnda reported later in life that he had not faced much discrimination during his schooling, possibly due to his more Mediterranean-sounding surname and light complexion. However, upon graduation from the University of Texas, he discovered that initially promising interviews with elite law firms led to no follow-up once the potential employers learned that his parents were from Mexico. As a result, he ended up practicing law alongside other Mexican-American lawyers in Houston like [[John J. Herrera|John Herrera]], working to provide counsel to Hispanics up and down the Gulf Coast who could not find equitable representation elsewhere. It was in this capacity that he came face to face with the discrimination Mexican-Americans faced daily in the 1950s.<ref>Wilson, Steven H., Law and History Review Vol. 21, Issue 1, [http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/lhr/21.1/forum_wilson.html "Brown over 'Other White': Mexican Americans' Legal Arguments and Litigation Strategy in School Desegregation Lawsuits] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930061850/http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/lhr/21.1/forum_wilson.html |date=2012-09-30 }}," Spring 2003</ref>
+==Federal judicial service==
-He was in private practice in [[Houston, Texas]] from 1951 to 1955, and in [[Corpus Christi, Texas]] from 1955 to 1979. In the early 1950s, he was on the plaintiff's team in Hernandez v. Texas, writing most of the briefs. In the late 1960s, he was among those who organized the Texas Rural Legal Assistance Organization and the [[Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund]].
-On February 13, 1979, DeAnda was nominated by President [[Jimmy Carter]] to a new seat on the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]] created by 92 Stat. 1629. He was confirmed by the [[United States Senate]] on May 10, 1979, and received his commission on May 11, 1979. He served as chief judge from 1988 until retiring from the bench on October 1, 1992. After retirement, he returned to private practice in Houston until 2005.
+On February 13, 1979, DeAnda was nominated by President [[Jimmy Carter]] to a new seat on the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]] created by 92 Stat. 1629. He was confirmed by the [[United States Senate]] on May 10, 1979, and received his commission on May 11, 1979. He served as Chief Judge from 1988 until retiring from the bench on October 1, 1992. After retirement, he returned to private practice in Houston until 2005.<ref name="auto"/>
+==Discrimination==
+DeAnda reported later in life that he had not faced much discrimination during his schooling, possibly due to his more Mediterranean-sounding surname and light complexion. However, upon graduation from the University of Texas, he discovered that initially promising interviews with elite law firms led to no follow-up once the potential employers learned that his parents were from Mexico. As a result, he ended up practicing law alongside other Mexican-American lawyers in Houston like [[John J. Herrera]], working to provide counsel to Hispanics up and down the Gulf Coast who could not find equitable representation elsewhere. It was in this capacity that he came face to face with the discrimination Mexican-Americans faced daily in the 1950s.<ref>Wilson, Steven H., Law and History Review Vol. 21, Issue 1, [http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/lhr/21.1/forum_wilson.html "Brown over 'Other White': Mexican Americans' Legal Arguments and Litigation Strategy in School Desegregation Lawsuits] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930061850/http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/lhr/21.1/forum_wilson.html |date=2012-09-30 }}," Spring 2003</ref>
 ==Death==
-He died of [[prostate cancer]] at his vacation home in [[Traverse City, Michigan]], aged 81.
+DeAnda died of [[prostate cancer]] at his vacation home in [[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]], [[Michigan]], on September 7, 2006, aged 81.<ref name="auto"/>
+==See also==
+*[[List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists]]
+*[[List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Texas]]
 ==References==
+{{Reflist}}
+==Sources==
 * ''Austin American-Statesman'', "Retired judge fought to defend Hispanics civil rights in Texas", 10 September 2006
 * ''Houston Chronicle'', "James deAnda" (editorial), 8 September 2006
 * Ruiz, Rosanna, ''Houston Chronicle'', "Houston judge had a major role in a landmark ruling on Hispanic rights", 8 September 2006
-{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
 ==External links==
@@ Line 41: / Line 95: @@
 {{s-start}}
 {{s-legal}}
-{{s-bef|before='''new seat'''}}
+{{s-bef|before=Seat established by 92 Stat. 1629}}
-{{s-ttl|title=Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]]|years=1979–1992}}
+{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]]}}|years=1979–1992}}
-{{s-aft|after=[[Nancy Friedman Atlas]]}}
+{{s-aft|after=[[Nancy Atlas]]}}
+{{s-bef|before=[[John Virgil Singleton Jr.]]}}
+{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Chief Judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]]}}|years=1988–1992}}
+{{s-aft|after=[[Norman William Black]]}}
 {{s-end}}
@@ Line 51: / Line 108: @@
 [[Category:1925 births]]
 [[Category:2006 deaths]]
-[[Category:People from Houston]]
+[[Category:Lawyers from Houston]]
 [[Category:Texas A&M University alumni]]
-[[Category:Texas lawyers]]
 [[Category:American judges of Mexican descent]]
-[[Category:American judges]]
 [[Category:Activists for Hispanic and Latino American civil rights]]
+[[Category:American civil rights activists]]
 [[Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas]]
 [[Category:United States district court judges appointed by Jimmy Carter]]
 [[Category:20th-century American judges]]
-[[Category:Deaths from prostate cancer]]
+[[Category:Deaths from prostate cancer in the United States]]
 [[Category:Deaths from cancer in Michigan]]
 [[Category:United States Marines]]
-[[Category:American lawyers and judges of Italian descent]]
+[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
+[[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II]]
+[[Category:Hispanic and Latino American judges]]
+[[Category:Hispanic and Latino American lawyers]]

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF WorldCat
National	United States