Roszel Cathcart Thomsen

Roszel Cathcart Thomsen (August 17, 1900 – March 11, 1992) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.

Roszel Cathcart Thomsen
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland
In office January 31, 1971 – March 11, 1992
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland
In office 1955–1970
Preceded by	William Caldwell Coleman
Succeeded by	Robert Dorsey Watkins
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland
In office May 12, 1954 – January 31, 1971
Appointed by	Dwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded by	William Calvin Chesnut
Succeeded by	Herbert Frazier Murray
Personal details
Born	Roszel Cathcart Thomsen (1900-08-17)August 17, 1900 Baltimore, Maryland
Died	March 11, 1992(1992-03-11) (aged 91)
Education	Johns Hopkins University (BA) University of Maryland (LLB)

Education and career

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Thomsen received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1919 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1922. He was in private practice in Baltimore from 1922 to 1954.^[1]

Federal judicial service

On March 15, 1954, Thomsen was nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland vacated by Judge William Calvin Chesnut. Thomsen was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 11, 1954, and received his commission on May 12, 1954. He served as Chief Judge from 1955 to 1970, and as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1958 to 1964.

In 1968 he presided over the trial of the Catonsville Nine who were charged with burning draft records. He assumed senior status on January 31, 1971. He served as a Judge of the Special Railroad Court from 1974 to 1987. Thomsen remained in senior status until his death on March 11, 1992.^[1]

References

1. Roszel Cathcart Thomsen at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Sources

• Roszel Cathcart Thomsen at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by William Calvin Chesnut	Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland 1954–1971	Succeeded by Herbert Frazier Murray
Preceded by William Caldwell Coleman	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland 1955–1970	Succeeded by Robert Dorsey Watkins