Despite his short tenure in office, James A. Garfield appointed 5 Article III United States federal judges including 1 Justice to the Supreme Court of the United States and 1 judge to the United States circuit courts and 3 judges to the United States district courts. Garfield shared the appointment of Addison Brown with his successor, Chester A. Arthur, with Garfield placing him on the bench via a recess appointment and Arthur later nominating him to the same seat and issuing his commission.
Garfield appointed 1 judge to the United States Court of Claims, an Article I tribunal.
Supreme Court
| # | Justice | Seat | State | Former justice | Nomination date |
Confirmation date |
Began active service |
Ended active service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanley Matthews | 6 | Ohio | Noah Haynes Swayne | March 14, 1881[Rn 1] | May 12, 1881 | May 12, 1881 | March 22, 1889 |
Circuit courts
| # | Judge | Circuit | Nomination date |
Confirmation date |
Began active service |
Ended active service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Don Albert Pardee | Fifth | March 14, 1881 | May 13, 1881 | May 13, 1881[1] | September 26, 1919[2] |
District courts
| # | Judge | Court [Note 1] |
Nomination date |
Confirmation date |
Began active service |
Ended active service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LeBaron Bradford Colt | D.R.I. | March 9, 1881 | March 21, 1881 | March 21, 1881 | July 23, 1884[3] |
| 2 | Alexander Boarman | W.D. La. | May 18, 1881 | May 18, 1881 | May 18, 1881 | August 30, 1916 |
| 3 | Addison Brown | S.D.N.Y. | – | – | June 2, 1881[4] | August 30, 1901 |
Specialty courts (Article I)
United States Court of Claims
| # | Judge | Nomination date |
Confirmation date |
Began active service |
Ended active service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glenni William Scofield | May 19, 1881 | May 20, 1881 | May 20, 1881 | July 29, 1891 |
Notes
- Renominations
- ^ Was previously nominated by President Hayes on January 26, 1881. That nomination expired at the end of the term. Renominated on March 14, 1881 by President Garfield.
References
- ^ Reassigned by operation of law to serve on both the United States circuit court and the corresponding United States Court of Appeals on June 16, 1891.
- ^ The United States circuit courts were abolished effective December 31, 1911. Served solely upon the United States Court of Appeals effective January 1, 1912.
- ^ Elevated
- ^ Recess appointment by James A. Garfield; formally nominated by Chester A. Arthur on October 12, 1881, confirmed by the United States Senate on October 14, 1881, and received commission from Arthur on October 14, 1881.