John Louis Coffey

John Louis Coffey (April 15, 1922 – November 10, 2012) was an American lawyer and jurist from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. He served as a judge of the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals from 1982 until his death, taking senior status in 2004. Prior to his federal appointment, he served four years as a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and 16 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County.

John Louis Coffey
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
In office July 2, 2004 – November 10, 2012
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
In office March 19, 1982 – July 2, 2004
Appointed by	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Thomas E. Fairchild
Succeeded by	Diane S. Sykes
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office August 1, 1978 – March 25, 1982
Preceded by	Leo B. Hanley
Succeeded by	Louis J. Ceci
Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the 2nd Circuit, Branch 12
In office January 1, 1962 – July 31, 1978
Preceded by	Branch established
Succeeded by	Circuit abolished
Personal details
Born	John Louis Coffey (1922-04-15)April 15, 1922 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died	November 10, 2012(2012-11-10) (aged 90) Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Resurrection Cemetery and Mausoleum, Mequon, Wisconsin
Education	Marquette University (BA, JD)
Profession	Lawyer, jurist
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1943–1946
Battles/wars	World War II

Education and career

Coffey was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from the Marquette University High School in 1939. Coffey received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University in 1943 and was in the United States Navy during World War II, from 1943 to 1946. He received a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School in 1948. He was an assistant city attorney for the city of Milwaukee from 1949 to 1954.^[1]

He was a judge for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, first as a Civil Court judge from 1954 to 1960, then a Municipal Court judge from 1960 to 1962, and then as a Circuit Court judge, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin from 1962 to 1978. He was the senior judge of the Criminal Division from 1972 to 1975, and chief presiding judge of the Criminal Division in 1976, switching to the civil division from 1976 to 1978. He was a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court from 1978 to 1982.^[2]

Federal judicial service

On February 19, 1982, Coffey was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit vacated by Judge Thomas E. Fairchild. Coffey was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 18, 1982, and received his commission the following day. He assumed senior status on July 2, 2004,^[3] and took inactive senior status on January 1, 2012. He died, aged 90, on November 10, 2012.^[4]

References

1. "Coffey, John L. 1922". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
2. Trina E. Gray, Karen Leone de Nie, Jennifer Miller, and Amanda K. Todd, Portraits of Justice: The Wisconsin Supreme Court's First 150 Years, Second Edition (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2003), p. 77.
3. John Louis Coffey at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
4. Hall, Dee J. (November 13, 2012). "Justice served on Wisconsin's high court". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 3. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• John Louis Coffey at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Coffey, John L. 1922 at Wisconsin Historical Society

Legal offices
Branch established	Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the 2nd Circuit, Branch 12 1962–1978	Circuit abolished
Preceded by Leo B. Hanley	Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court 1978–1982	Succeeded by Louis J. Ceci
Preceded by Thomas E. Fairchild	Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit 1982–2004	Succeeded by Diane S. Sykes