Anna Louise "Ann" Aldrich (June 28, 1927 – May 2, 2010) was a

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district. Each district covers one U.S. state or a portion of a state. There is at least one feder ...

of the

United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio (in case citations, N.D. Ohio) is the federal trial court for the northern half of Ohio, encompassing most territories north of the city of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus. The court has courthou ...

Youth and Family Life

She was born in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

on June 28, 1927. Her parents were Allie Coe Aldrich (1885 – 1972) and Ethel May Aldrich (née Carrier) (1888 – 1938). She had one older sister, named Edwina A Greenburg (1922 – 1999). In 1938, when she was 11 years old, her mother reportedly died in a hurricane.

Education and career

Aldrich received a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

degree from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

in 1948 and a

Bachelor of Laws A Bachelor of Laws (; LLB) is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subje ...

from the

New York University School of Law The New York University School of Law (NYU Law) is the law school of New York University, a private research university in New York City. Established in 1835, it was the first law school established in New York City and is the oldest survivin ...

in 1950. She also attended the

Graduate Institute of International Studies Graduate may refer to: Education * The subject of a graduation, i.e. someone awarded an academic degree ** Alumni, a former student who has either attended or graduated from an institution * High school graduate, someone who has completed hi ...

in 1951. She was an attorney on the General Counsel's Staff for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, from 1951 to 1952. She served as a research assistant for Professor Edmond N. Cahn of the New York University School of Law from 1952 to 1953, and for Arthur T. Vanderbilt of the

New Jersey Supreme Court The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases cha ...

from 1952 to 1953. After a brief stint in private practice in Washington, D.C., she served as a civilian attorney at

Subic Bay Naval Station Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the Spanish Navy and subsequently the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. The base was , about the size of Singapore. The Navy Exchange ...

from 1954 to 1956, and as an attorney for the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

from 1953 to 1960. Aldrich returned to private practice in

Darien, Connecticut Darien ( ) is a coastal town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. With a population of 21,499 and a land area of just under , it is the smallest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast (Connecticut), Gold Coast. Situated on the Long Island ...

, from 1961 to 1968. In 1965, she argued for the plaintiff in ''United Church of Christ v. Federal Communications Commission'', which established a private party's standing, before the

, to intervene in license renewal proceedings. Aldrich returned to New York University to earn a

Master of Laws A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is a postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in another subject. In many jurisdi ...

in 1964 and a

Doctor of Juridical Science A Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD; ), or a Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD; ), is a research doctorate degree in law that is equivalent to a Ph.D. degree. In most countries, it is the most advanced law degree that can be earned. Australia ...

(a research degree in law equivalent to a Doctor of Philosophy) in 1967. She was a Professor of Law at

Cleveland State University Cleveland State University (CSU) is a public research university in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1964 and opened for classes in 1965 after acquiring the entirety of Fenn College, a private school that had been in oper ...

from 1968 to 1980.

Federal judicial service and death

Aldrich was nominated to the

by President

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

on March 28, 1980, to a new seat created by 92 Stat. 1629. She was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

on May 21, 1980, and received her commission on May 24, 1980. Aldrich was the first woman appointed to the federal district court in Ohio. She assumed senior status on May 12, 1995, but remained active on the court until her death on May 2, 2010, in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

. Prior to her death, she was suffering from "heart, kidney and other problems". She died at the Cleveland Clinic at the age of 82. Despite her health issues, she remained positive prior to her death, often saying "eat, drink and be merry," she continued, "for tomorrow you may actually be alive."

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aldrich, Ann 1927 births 2010 deaths Columbia University alumni New York University School of Law alumni Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies alumni Cleveland State University faculty Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio United States district court judges appointed by Jimmy Carter American expatriates in Switzerland Lawyers from Providence, Rhode Island 20th-century American women judges

Youth and Family Life

Education and career

Federal judicial service and death

See also

References

Sources