Theodore Howard McCaleb (February 10, 1810 – April 29, 1864) 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, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district cou ...
of the
United States District Court for the District of Louisiana
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 ...
, the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (in case citations, E.D. La.) is a United States federal court based in New Orleans.
Appeals from the Eastern District of Louisiana are taken to the United States Court of A ...
and the
United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana (in case citations, W.D. La.) is a United States federal court with jurisdiction over approximately two thirds of the state of Louisiana, with courts in Alexandria, Lafayett ...
.
Education and career
Theodore Howard McCaleb was born in
Pendleton District, South Carolina
Pendleton District, named after US Judge Henry Pendleton, is a former judicial district in South Carolina. It existed as a county or a district from 7 March 1789 to 20 December 1826.
In the colonial period, the land around the coast was divided i ...
on February 10, 1810. He was educated at
Phillips Exeter Academy
(not for oneself) la, Finis Origine Pendet (The End Depends Upon the Beginning) gr, Χάριτι Θεοῦ (By the Grace of God)
, location = 20 Main Street
, city = Exeter, New Hampshire
, zipcode ...
, and attended
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
, but left before graduating. He
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 th ...
Tulane University
Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pu ...
) from 1847 to 1864. serving as a professor from 1847 to 1864, and as dean of faculty from 1850 to 1862.
Federal judicial service
McCaleb was nominated by President
John Tyler
John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth president of the United States, serving from 1841 to 1845, after briefly holding office as the tenth vice president of the United States, vice president in 1841. He was elected v ...
on September 1, 1841, to a joint seat on the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (in case citations, E.D. La.) is a United States federal court based in New Orleans.
Appeals from the Eastern District of Louisiana are taken to the United States Court of A ...
and the
United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana (in case citations, W.D. La.) is a United States federal court with jurisdiction over approximately two thirds of the state of Louisiana, with courts in Alexandria, Lafayett ...
vacated by Judge
Philip Kissick Lawrence
Philip Kissick Lawrence ( 1793 – May 19, 1841) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.
Education a ...
. 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 ...
on September 3, 1841, and received his commission the same day. McCaleb 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 Louisiana
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 ...
on February 13, 1845, to a new seat authorized by 5 Stat. 772. McCaleb 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 Eastern District of Louisiana
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (in case citations, E.D. La.) is a United States federal court based in New Orleans.
Appeals from the Eastern District of Louisiana are taken to the United States Court of A ...
on March 3, 1849, to a new seat authorized by 9 Stat. 401. His service terminated on January 28, 1861, due to his resignation.
Later career and death
Following his resignation from the federal bench, McCaleb resumed private practice in New Orleans from 1861 to 1864. He died on April 29, 1864, at his plantation in Claiborne County, Mississippi.