James Dunlop (March 28, 1793 – May 6, 1872) was a United States Circuit Judge and later Chief United States Circuit Judge of the United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia.

Education and career

Dunlop was born in Georgetown, which at that time was in that portion of the State of Maryland ceded to the federal government pursuant to the

Residence Act of 1790 The Residence Act of 1790, officially titled An Act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States (), is a United States federal statute adopted during the second session of the First United States Co ...

but which remained under the jurisdiction of Maryland until the enactment of the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801. 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 1811 from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) 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 ...

. He was Secretary of the Corporation of Georgetown, D.C. until 1838. He was a Judge of the Criminal Court of the District of Columbia from 1838 to 1845.

Federal judicial service

Dunlop received a recess appointment from President James K. Polk on October 3, 1845, to a Judge seat on the United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia vacated by Judge

Buckner Thruston Buckner Thruston (February 9, 1763 – August 30, 1845) was an American lawyer, slaveowner and politician who served as United States Senator from Kentucky as well as in the Virginia House of Delegates and became a United States circuit judge of ...

. He was nominated to the same position by President Polk on December 23, 1845. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 3, 1846, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on November 27, 1855, due to his elevation to be Chief Judge of the same court. Dunlop received a recess appointment from President

Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...

on November 27, 1855, to the Chief Judge seat on the United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia vacated by Chief Judge William Cranch. He was nominated to the same position by President Pierce on December 3, 1855. He was confirmed by the Senate on December 7, 1855, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on March 3, 1863, due to abolition of the court, pursuant to . The court was superseded by the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (now the United States District Court for the District of Columbia).

Later career and death

Following his departure from the federal bench, Dunlop resumed private practice in Georgetown, D.C. from 1863 to 1872. He died in Georgetown on May 6, 1872.

Education and career

Federal judicial service

Later career and death

References

Sources

Further reading