Robert Lee Russell (August 19, 1900 – January 18, 1955) was a

United States circuit judge In the United States, federal judges are judges who serve on courts established under Article Three of the U.S. Constitution. They include the chief justice and the associate justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, the circuit judges of the U.S. ...

of the

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in case citations, 5th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * Eastern District of Louisiana * M ...

and previously was a United States district judge of the

United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (in case citations, N.D. Ga.) is a United States district court which serves the residents of forty-six counties. These are divided up into four divisions. Appeals from cases ...

Education and career

Born in Winder,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, Russell was the brother of

Richard Russell Jr. Richard Brevard Russell Jr. (November 2, 1897 – January 21, 1971) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 66th Governor of Georgia from 1931 to 1933 before serving in the United States Senate for alm ...

He was educated in Winder and attended the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

before leaving to study law in the office of his father,

Richard Russell Sr. Richard Brevard Russell Sr. (April 27, 1861 – December 3, 1938) was an American lawyer, legislator, jurist, and candidate for political office. He is the patriarch of the Russell Family of Georgia, a notable 20th century Georgia political fami ...

He was admitted to the bar in 1920 and practiced in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

as a partner in his father's firm from 1920 to 1923. He was his father's secretary and law clerk during the elder Russell's service as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia from 1923 to 1928, and then returned to private practice in Winder.

Federal judicial service

Russell 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 August 5, 1940, to the

, to a new seat authorized by 54 Stat. 219. 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 August 8, 1940, and received his commission on August 15, 1940. He served as Chief Judge in 1949. His service terminated on October 26, 1949, due to his elevation to the Fifth Circuit. Russell was nominated by President

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

on October 15, 1949, to a seat on the

vacated by Judge Samuel Hale Sibley. He was confirmed by the Senate on October 19, 1949, and received his commission on October 21, 1949. His service terminated on January 18, 1955, due to his death.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Robert Lee 1900 births 1955 deaths People from Winder, Georgia Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia United States district court judges appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt 20th-century American judges Judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit United States court of appeals judges appointed by Harry S. Truman United States federal judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law