Oren Ritter Lewis (October 7, 1902 – June 12, 1983) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Oren Ritter Lewis
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
In office
January 1, 1974 – June 12, 1983
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
In office
May 31, 1960 – January 1, 1974
Appointed byDwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded byCharles Sterling Hutcheson
Succeeded byDavid Dortch Warriner
Personal details
Born(1902-10-07)October 7, 1902
Seymour, Indiana, U.S.
DiedJune 12, 1983(1983-06-12) (aged 80)
Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Resting placeColumbia Gardens Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia, U.S.
Residence(s)Arlington County, Virginia
EducationGeorge Washington University Law School (LL.B.)

Education and career

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Born in Seymour, Indiana, Lewis received a Bachelor of Laws from George Washington University Law School in 1939. He was in private practice in Arlington County, Virginia from 1940 to 1960.[1]

Federal judicial service

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On March 21, 1960, Lewis was nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia vacated by Judge Charles Sterling Hutcheson. Lewis was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 31, 1960, and received his commission the same day. He was a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1970 to 1973. He assumed senior status on January 1, 1974. He served in that capacity until his death.

Death

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Grave of Lewis in Columbia Gardens Cemetery

Lewis died of a heart attack suffered at his Arlington County home on June 12, 1983, dying at Arlington Hospital in Arlington County. He continued to preside over cases up until his death.[1][2][3] Lewis is buried at the Columbia Gardens Cemetery in Arlington.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b Oren Ritter Lewis at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  2. ^ Waggoner, Walter H. (June 14, 1983). "Judge Oren R. Lewis; Key Figure in Ruling in '54 on School Bias". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  3. ^ Smith, Philip (June 14, 1983). "Judge Oren Lewis Dies at 80". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  4. ^ "Columbia Gardens Cemetery". Retrieved 2021-10-24. 1983 - Oren Lewis, federal judge, interred. Lewis authored an opinion used as the basis of the 1954 Supreme Court ruling Brown v. Board of Education.
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Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
1960–1974
Succeeded by