Sylvia Bacon

Sylvia A. Bacon (July 9, 1931 – April 29, 2023) was an American judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia who was considered by both Richard Nixon^[1] and Ronald Reagan^[2][3][4] as a potential nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States at a time when no women had yet been appointed to the court.

Sylvia Bacon
Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
In office 1970–1991
Appointed by	Richard Nixon
Succeeded by	Reggie Walton
Personal details
Born	(1931-07-09)July 9, 1931 Watertown, South Dakota, U.S.
Died	April 29, 2023(2023-04-29) (aged 91) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Republican
Education	Vassar College (Bachelor of Arts) London School of Economics (Graduate certificate) Harvard University (Bachelor of Laws) Georgetown University (Master of Laws)

Early life and education

Born in Watertown, South Dakota, Bacon graduated Watertown High School^[5] in 1949 and received a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Vassar College in 1952, a Graduate Certificate in economics from the London School of Economics through a Rotary Fellowship in 1953, a Bachelor of Laws from Harvard Law School in 1956 and a Master of Laws from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1959. While at Vassar, she was an officer in the National Student Association.^[5] From 1956 to 1957, she was a judicial law clerk to Judge Burnita Shelton Matthews of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.^[5]

Career

Bacon worked in various positions within the United States Department of Justice from 1956 to 1970,^[5] and during this time, she "helped draft the District of Columbia's controversial no-knock crime bill",^[6] and "served under Ramsey Clark and helped draft legislation for court reform in the District of Columbia."^[6] She was appointed to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in 1970, serving until 1991.^[5] She was considered to be a nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States by both Presidents Reagan and Nixon.

As of June 2010, Bacon was a "distinguished lecturer" on the faculty of the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.^[7]

In 1986, after "complaints" by "prosecutors and defense lawyers" about her appearing to be "confused and disoriented", Bacon was treated for alcohol abuse, as documented by Elsa Walsh in The Washington Post.^[8] In 1987, the highest appellate court in the District of Columbia reversed Bacon's ruling against Georgetown University LGBTQ undergraduate and law students in Gay Rights Coalition v. Georgetown University, in which Bacon had found that Georgetown's religious origin protected it from complying with the District of Columbia Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.^[9][8]

Death

Bacon died on April 29, 2023, at the age of 91.^[10]

See also

• Biography portal

• Richard Nixon Supreme Court candidates
• Ronald Reagan Supreme Court candidates

References

1. John Dean, "Cast of Characters: Candidates considered for the Supreme Court", The Rehnquist Choice: The Untold Story of the Nixon Appointment That Redefined the Supreme Court (Free Press, 2001), p. xiii-xiv. ISBN 978-0-7432-2979-1.
2. Elizabeth Olson, "Reagan may have strong hand over high court", United Press International (November 9, 1980).
3. Biskupic, Joan (25 October 2005). Sandra Day O'Connor: How the First Woman on the Supreme Court Became Its Most Influential Justice. Ecco Press. pp. 75–76. ISBN 978-0-06-059018-5.
4. Judicial Selection Letter to Ken Starr, et al. September 24, 1981.
5. Eugene G. Schwartz, Ed., American Students Organize: Founding the National Student Association After World War II (2006), Page 476.
6. "The Nation: Nixon's Not So Supreme Court", Time Magazine (Monday, October 25, 1971).
7. Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law page on Sylvia Bacon Archived 2010-06-14 at the Wayback Machine.
8. Walsh, Elsa (July 30, 1986). "D.C. Judge Is Treated for Alcohol Abuse". The Washington Post.
9. Gay Rights Coalition v. Georgetown University, 436 A.2d 1 (1987).
10. "Sylvia Bacon, longtime D.C. Superior Court judge, dies at 91". Washington Post. Retrieved May 7, 2023.