Myron L. Gordon (February 11, 1918 – November 3, 2009) was an American lawyer and jurist from Kenosha, Wisconsin. He was a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, serving from 1967 until taking senior status in 1983. He previously served five years as a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and was a Wisconsin circuit court judge for seven years in Milwaukee County.
Myron L. Gordon | |
|---|---|
| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin | |
| In office February 12, 1983 – November 3, 2009 | |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin | |
| In office March 4, 1967 – February 12, 1983 | |
| Appointed by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Seat established by 80 Stat. 75 |
| Succeeded by | Thomas John Curran |
| Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court | |
| In office January 1, 1962 – March 4, 1967 | |
| Preceded by | John E. Martin |
| Succeeded by | Connor Hansen |
| Judge of the Wisconsin 2nd Circuit, Branch 3 | |
| In office January 4, 1955 – January 1, 1962 | |
| Preceded by | Elmer W. Roller |
| Succeeded by | John A. Decker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 11, 1918 Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | November 3, 2009 (aged 91) Palm Desert, California, U.S. |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Wisconsin (BA, MA) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Profession | Lawyer, judge |
Education and career
editBorn in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Gordon received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1939 and a Master of Arts degree from the same institution in 1939. He received a Bachelor of Laws from Harvard Law School in 1942. He was Lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve from 1944 to 1946. He was in private practice in Milwaukee from 1945 to 1950. He was a civil court judge in Milwaukee County from 1950 to 1954. He ran unsuccessfully for a Wisconsin circuit court judgeship in 1953, losing to Leo B. Hanley.[1] He ran again the following year, and this time defeated incumbent judge Elmer W. Roller.[2] He served a full six-year term as circuit judge and was re-elected in 1960.[3]
In 1961, he sought election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the seat being vacated by the retirement of chief justice John E. Martin. Gordon survived the nonpartisan primary in March 1961, and went on to face former state attorney general Stewart G. Honeck in the general election. Gordon prevailed with 52% of the vote in the April general election.[3][4][5]
Federal judicial service
editGordon was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on January 16, 1967, to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, to a new seat created by 80 Stat. 75. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 2, 1967, and received his commission on March 4, 1967. He assumed senior status on February 12, 1983. He served in that status until his death on November 3, 2009, in Palm Desert, California.[6][7][5]
Personal life and family
editMyron Gordon was a son of Jewish immigrants Samuel R. and Janet (née Ruppa) Gordon. His father was born in Poland and his mother was born in Russia.[8] Myron had one older brother, Norvan, who was a medical doctor in Milwaukee County.[9]
Myron Gordon married Ruth Peggy Siesel on August 16, 1942.[10] They had three children together before her death from post-surgical complications in 1973.[11] Gordon subsequently remarried, and was survived by his second wife, Myra.[4]
Electoral history
editWisconsin Circuit Court (1953)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, April 7, 1953 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Leo B. Hanley | 105,303 | 51.41% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Myron L. Gordon | 99,546 | 48.59% | ||
| Plurality | 5,757 | 2.81% | |||
| Total votes | 204,849 | 100.0% | |||
Wisconsin Circuit Court (1954, 1960)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, April 6, 1954 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Myron L. Gordon | 98,900 | 63.91% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Elmer W. Roller (incumbent) | 55,837 | 36.09% | ||
| Plurality | 43,063 | 27.83% | |||
| Total votes | 154,737 | 100.0% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, April 5, 1960 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Myron L. Gordon | 246,695 | 100.0% | ||
| Total votes | 246,695 | 100.0% | |||
Wisconsin Supreme Court (1961)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan Primary, March 7, 1961 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Stewart G. Honeck | 177,890 | 51.21% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Myron L. Gordon | 145,270 | 41.82% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Christ Alexopoulos | 24,230 | 6.97% | ||
| Total votes | 347,390 | 100.0% | |||
| General Election, April 4, 1961 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Myron L. Gordon | 399,408 | 52.16% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Stewart G. Honeck | 366,390 | 47.84% | ||
| Plurality | 33,018 | 4.31% | |||
| Total votes | 765,798 | 100.0% | |||
References
edit- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1954). "Parties and Elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1954 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 773. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1954). "Addenda". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1954 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 781. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Wisconsin Elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1962 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. 1962. pp. 870, 871, 872. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ a b "Former Justices - Justice Myron L. Gordon". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- ^ a b Myron L. Gordon at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
- ^ "Former justice Myron L. Gordon remembered as 'top-notch' jurist". Wisconsin Court System.
- ^ Don Walker (November 4, 2009). "Gordon ruled in Milwaukee 14 case". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
- ^ "Janet Ruppa Gordon". The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. August 11, 1967. p. 2. Retrieved October 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Samuel R. Gordon". The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. October 9, 1975. p. 19. Retrieved October 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Siesel-Gordon". The Capital Times. August 18, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved October 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mrs. Peggy Gordon". The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. March 30, 1973. p. 16. Retrieved October 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
Sources
edit- Myron L. Gordon at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.