George Bell Timmerman Sr. (March 28, 1881 – April 22, 1966) was a

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the United States federal judiciary, U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each United States federal judicial district, federal judicial district, which each cover o ...

of the

United States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina The following are former United States district courts, which ceased to exist because they were subdivided into smaller units. With the exception of California, each of these courts initially covered an entire U.S. state, and was subdivided as the ...

and the

United States District Court for the Western District of South Carolina The following are former United States district courts, which ceased to exist because they were subdivided into smaller units. With the exception of California, each of these courts initially covered an entire U.S. state, and was subdivided as the ...

Education and career

Born in

Edgefield County Edgefield County is a County (United States), county located on the western border of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 25,657. Its county seat and largest municipality is Edge ...

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, Timmerman received a

Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...

from the

University of South Carolina School of Law The University of South Carolina School of Law, also known as South Carolina Law School, is a professional school within the University of South Carolina. The school of law was founded in 1867, and remains the only public and non-profit law schoo ...

in 1902, where he was also head coach of the

South Carolina Gamecocks baseball The South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college baseball. South Carolina has perennially been one of the best teams in college baseball since 1970, posting 33 NCAA Tournament app ...

team. He was in private practice in Lexington, South Carolina from 1902 to 1942, serving as a solicitor for the 5th Judicial Circuit of South Carolina from 1905 to 1908 and the 11th Judicial Circuit of South Carolina from 1908 to 1920. He was also a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1923 to 1924.

Federal judicial service

Timmerman 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 December 18, 1941, to a joint seat on the

and the

vacated by Judge Alva M. Lumpkin. He was confirmed by 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 ...

on January 20, 1942, and received his commission on January 23, 1942. He served as Chief Judge of the Eastern District from 1952 to 1962. He assumed

senior status Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges. To qualify, a judge in the Federal judiciary of the United States, federal court system must be at least 65 years old, and the sum of the judge's age and years of servi ...

on October 10, 1962. He 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 ...

to the

United States District Court for the District of South Carolina The United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (in case citations, D.S.C.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of South Carolina. Court is held in the cities of Aiken, Anderson, Beaufort, Charlest ...

on October 7, 1965, pursuant to 79 Stat. 951. His service terminated on April 22, 1966, due to his death in Columbia, South Carolina.

Family

Timmerman's son,

George Bell Timmerman Jr. George Bell Timmerman Jr. (August 11, 1912November 29, 1994) was an American politician and World War II veteran who served as the 105th governor of South Carolina from 1955 to 1959. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the ...

, became

Governor of South Carolina The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the '' ex officio'' commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making year ...

and a state circuit judge in South Carolina.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Timmerman, George Bell Sr. 1881 births 1966 deaths Members of the South Carolina House of Representatives Judges of the United States District Court for the Western District of South Carolina Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina United States district court judges appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt 20th-century American judges South Carolina Gamecocks baseball coaches People from Edgefield County, South Carolina People from Lexington, South Carolina