John W. Kern III (born 1928 or 1929 – January 30, 2018) was a judge of the

District of Columbia Court of Appeals The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is the highest court of the District of Columbia, in the United States. Established in 1970, it is equivalent to a state supreme court, except that its authority is derived from the United States Congr ...

. Kern graduated from Princeton University in 1949 and

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States. Each class ...

in 1952. After law school, Kern served in the Central Intelligence Agency for two years, then he moved to Washington, D.C. to clerk for Judge

Harold Montelle Stephens Harold Montelle Stephens (March 6, 1886 – May 28, 1955) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Education and career Born in Crete, Nebraska, Stephens attended the Universi ...

of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He worked as an assistant to Attorney General Ramsey Clark and as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia before being nominated to the Court of Appeals in 1968. In 1980, Kern was one of several more conservative judges, led by

Frank Q. Nebeker Frank Quill Nebeker (April 23, 1930 – January 4, 2024) was an American jurist who served as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Life and career Born in Utah, Nebek ...

, who attempted unsuccessfully to prevent the reappointment as chief judge of

Theodore R. Newman Jr. Theodore R. Newman Jr. (July 5, 1934 – January 6, 2023) was an American judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. He served as the first black chief judge of the court. Biography Newman was born in Birmingham and raised in Tuskegee ...

After sixteen years on the bench, Kern assumed senior status and became dean of the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada, on October 3, 1984. He returned to the court in 1987 and continued to hear cases until his retirement on December 31, 2011. In 1998, Kern was appointed by Judge

Norma Holloway Johnson Norma Holloway Johnson (July 28, 1932 – September 18, 2011), born Normalie Loyce Holloway, was a former United States district judge who served as the chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and was the firs ...

as a special master to investigate whether independent counsel

Ken Starr Kenneth Winston Starr (July 21, 1946 – September 13, 2022) was an American lawyer and judge who authored the Starr Report, which led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. He headed an investigation of members of the Clinton administration, kno ...

had illegally leaked secret grand jury information concerning the

Monica Lewinsky scandal Monica may refer to: People *Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress *Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...

to media outlets. In 1999, Kern submitted a report clearing Starr of the allegations. Kern's grandfather,

John W. Kern John Worth Kern (December 20, 1849 – August 17, 1917) was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana. While the title was not official, he is considered to be the first Senate majority leader (and in turn, the first Senate Democratic Lead ...

, was a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

from Indiana and the first Senate Majority Leader. His father,

John W. Kern Jr. John Worth Kern Jr. (1900–1971) was the List of mayors of Indianapolis, 31st mayor of the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. Kern graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1920 and Harvard Law School in 1923. Prior to serving as mayor, Kern w ...

, was the 31st mayor of

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

and later chief judge of the United States Tax Court. Kern's son, John W. Kern IV, is also a lawyer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kern, John W. 1920s births 2018 deaths Assistant United States Attorneys Harvard Law School alumni Judges of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Princeton University alumni 20th-century American judges 21st-century American judges 20th-century American lawyers