Finis James Garrett (August 26, 1875 – May 25, 1956) was a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

and a

Chief Judge A chief judge (also known as presiding judge, president judge or principal judge) is the highest-ranking or most senior member of a lower court or circuit court with more than one judge. According to the Federal judiciary of the United States, th ...

of the

United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals The United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals (CCPA) was a United States federal court which existed from 1909 to 1982 and had jurisdiction over certain types of civil disputes. History The CCPA began as the United States Court of Customs ...

Education and career

Born on August 26, 1875, near Ore Springs, Weakley County,

, Garrett attended the common schools and Clinton College in

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

. He received an

Artium Baccalaureus Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

degree in 1897 from Bethel College (now Bethel University) in McKenzie, Tennessee and

read law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...

in 1899. He entered private practice in

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

, Tennessee from 1900 to 1905, during which time he was also a newspaper editor, teacher and a Master in Chancery for the Tennessee Chancery Court in Weakley County.

Congressional service

Garrett was elected from the 9th congressional district of Tennessee as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

of the

59th United States Congress The 59th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1905, t ...

and to the eleven succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1905, until March 3, 1929. He was Chairman of the

United States House Committee on Insular Affairs The United States House Committee on Insular Affairs is a defunct committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898, officially concluded the Spanish–American War. According to the provisions of the ...

in the

65th United States Congress The 65th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1917, to ...

. He was minority leader in the 68th through

70th United States Congress The 70th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1927 ...

es. He was not a candidate for renomination to the

71st United States Congress The 71st United States Congress was a meeting of the legislature of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1929, to Ma ...

in 1928, but was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for

United States Senator The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...

. He was a delegate to the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...

in 1924. Garrett was the last Democratic

House Minority Leader Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives, also known as floor leaders, are congresspeople who coordinate legislative initiatives and serve as the chief spokespersons for their parties on the House floor. These leaders are ele ...

not to serve at any point as Speaker until

Dick Gephardt Richard Andrew Gephardt (; born January 31, 1941) is an American attorney, lobbyist, and politician who served as a United States House of Representatives, United States Representative from Missouri from 1977 to 2005. A member of the Democratic ...

from 1995 to 2003.

Unsuccessful judicial appointment

Garret received a

recess appointment In the United States, a recess appointment is an appointment by the president of a federal official when the U.S. Senate is in recess. Under the U.S. Constitution's Appointments Clause, the President is empowered to nominate, and with the advi ...

to the

United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee The United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee (in case citations, W.D. Tenn.) is the federal district court covering the western part of the state of Tennessee. Appeals from the Western District of Tennessee are taken to ...

on November 22, 1920, but declined the appointment. He was nominated to the same seat on December 10, 1920, but the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

never acted on his nomination, which expired with the end of

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

's Presidency.

Federal judicial service

Garrett was nominated by President

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...

on February 14, 1929, to an Associate Judge seat on the

United States Court of Customs Appeals The United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals (CCPA) was a United States federal court which existed from 1909 to 1982 and had jurisdiction over certain types of civil disputes. History The CCPA began as the United States Court of Custom ...

(Associate Judge of the

from March 2, 1929) vacated by Associate Judge

James F. Smith James Francis Smith (January 28, 1859 – June 29, 1928) was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Governor-General of the Philippines and an associate judge of the United States Court of Customs Appeals. Education and c ...

. He was confirmed by the

on February 18, 1929, and received his commission on February 18, 1929. His service terminated on December 1, 1937, due to his elevation to Presiding Judge of the same court. Garrett was nominated by President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

on November 16, 1937, to the Presiding Judge seat on the

vacated by Presiding Judge

William J. Graham William Johnson Graham (February 7, 1872 – November 10, 1937) was a United States representative from Illinois and Presiding Judge of the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals. Education and career Born on February 7, 1872, in ...

. He was confirmed by the Senate on November 30, 1937, and received his commission on December 1, 1937. Garrett was reassigned by

operation of law The phrase "by operation of law" is a legal term that indicates that a right or liability has been created for a party, irrespective of the intent of that party, because it is dictated by existing legal principles. For example, if a person dies wi ...

on September 1, 1948, to the new Chief Judge seat authorized by 62 Stat. 899. His service terminated on September 15, 1955, due to his retirement.

Family

Garret was the son of Noah J. Garrett and Virginia (Baughman) Garrett. He married Elizabeth Harris Burns on November 27, 1901.

Death

Garrett died on May 25, 1956, in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

He was interred in Sunset Cemetery in

, Tennessee.

References

External links

* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Garrett, Finis J. 1875 births 1956 deaths Bethel University (Tennessee) alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee Judges of the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals Minority leaders of the United States House of Representatives United States Article I federal judges appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt 20th-century American judges