Willis B. Hunt Jr.

Willis Beverly Hunt Jr. (born December 10, 1932) is an inactive senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

Willis Beverly Hunt Jr.
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
Assumed office
June 30, 2005
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
In office
March 24, 1995 – June 30, 2005
Appointed byBill Clinton
Preceded byHorace Ward
Succeeded byTimothy Batten
Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court
In office
1994–1995
Preceded byCharles L. Weltner
Succeeded byRobert Benham
Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court
In office
1986–1994
Appointed byJoe Frank Harris
Succeeded byHarris Hines
Personal details
Born
Willis Beverly Hunt Jr.

(1932-12-10) December 10, 1932[1]
Malden, Massachusetts, U.S.
EducationEmory University (LLB)
University of Virginia School of Law (LLM)

Education and career

Born in Malden, Massachusetts, Hunt graduated from Emory University in 1954 with a Bachelor of Laws. While a student at Emory, Hunt became a brother of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Since graduation, Hunt has always been in government service or the private legal profession: after completing his degree, he served in the United States Army from 1955 to 1957, after which he was a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 1957 to 1959. Leaving the Bureau, he practiced law privately for thirteen years: in Clearwater, Florida, from 1959 to 1960; in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1960 to 1967; and in the Houston County, Georgia cities of Perry and Warner Robins, from 1967 to 1971. At this time, Hunt re-entered government service, being a judge on the Houston County Superior Court from 1971 to 1986. He unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Georgia Supreme Court in 1982, finishing fifth out of six in a statewide election. He was appointed by Governor Joe Frank Harris to the Georgia Supreme Court in 1986. During his time on the Georgia Supreme Court, Hunt earned a Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1990.

Federal judicial service

On January 23, 1995, Hunt was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia vacated by Horace Ward. Hunt was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 24, 1995, and received his commission the same day. Hunt assumed senior status on June 30, 2005. His courtroom is located in the Richard B. Russell Federal Building and United States Courthouse in downtown Atlanta.[2]

Notable cases

Among Hunt's leading cases since his appointment to the federal bench was a major corruption trial in early 2001, in which the Atlanta Business Chronicle saw a connection to the scandals of the late Clinton administration.[3] Hunt assumed senior status on June 30, 2005, but continues to hear cases in that capacity; and received some media coverage when he dismissed a lawsuit as "farcical" by prisoner Jonathan Lee Riches against NFL Quarterback Michael Vick.[4]

References
  1. Judiciary, United States Congress Senate Committee on the (1996). Confirmation Hearings on Federal Appointments: Hearings Before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourth Congress, First Session, on Confirmation of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 312.
  2. District Judges Archived 2015-05-09 at the Wayback Machine, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, 2008-09-08. Accessed 2008-11-24.
  3. Atlanta corruption trial part of the enduring Bill Clinton curse, Atlanta Business Chronicle, 2001-02-02. Accessed 2008-11-24.
  4. Rankin, Bill. (August 17, 2007). Inmate's bizarre lawsuit against Vick thrown out of court The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Accessed October 3, 2007.
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