Walter King Stapleton (June 2, 1934 – November 23, 2024) was a United States circuit judge of the

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (in case citations, 3d Cir.) is a United States federal court, federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the United States district court, district courts for the following United Sta ...

and a United States district judge of the

United States District Court for the District of Delaware The United States District Court for the District of Delaware (in case citations, D. Del.) is the United States district court, Federal district court having jurisdiction over the entire state of Delaware. The Court sits in Wilmington, Delaware, ...

Life and career

Early life and education

Stapleton was born in

Cuthbert, Georgia Cuthbert is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,520 in 2019. History Cuthbert was founded by European Americans in 1831 as seat of the newly formed Randolph County, after Indian Remova ...

on June 2, 1934. He received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

in 1956. He received 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

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...

in 1959. He received 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 ...

from

University of Virginia School of Law The University of Virginia School of Law (Virginia Law) is the law school of the University of Virginia, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 as part of his "academical village", and now ...

in 1984. He was in private practice of law in Wilmington,

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

from 1959 to 1970. He was a deputy attorney general of Delaware from 1963 to 1964.

Federal judicial service

Stapleton was nominated by President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

on September 22, 1970, to a seat on the

vacated by Judge Edwin DeHaven Steel Jr. He 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 October 8, 1970, and received commission six days later. He served as Chief Judge from 1983 to 1985. His service was terminated on May 8, 1985, due to elevation to the Third Circuit. Stapleton was nominated by President

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

on March 27, 1985, to the

, to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333. He was confirmed by the Senate on April 3, 1985, and received commission the following day. He assumed senior status on June 2, 1999. His service was terminated upon his death in 2024.

Death

Stapleton died in

Penn, Pennsylvania Penn is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 475 at the time of the 2010 census. The borough was named for Pennsylvania founder William Penn. Geography Penn is located at (40.329018, -79.640141). A ...

on November 23, 2024, at the age of 90.

References

Sources