Dates of Service: 1956-1959

Born July 8, 1900, in Buffalo, NY
Died May 24, 1959

Federal Judicial Service:

• Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
  • Nominated by Dwight D. Eisenhower on January 25, 1956, to a seat vacated by John Knight. Confirmed by the Senate on March 6, 1956, and received commission on March 8, 1956. Service terminated on May 24, 1959, due to death.

Education:

• Colgate University, A.B., 1921
• University of Buffalo Law School, LL.B., 1924

Professional Career:

• Private practice, Buffalo, New York, 1925-1956
• Assistant U.S. attorney, Western District of New York, 1928-1935
• Councilman, Tonawanda, New York, 1934-1940
• State assemblyman, New York, 1941-1956

Noteworthy Cases and Other Information

(written by Hon. John T. Curtin)[1]

President Eisenhower appointed Justin C. Morgan to succeed the late John Knight. Judge Morgan had a long history of public service before ascending to the federal bench. After a three-year stint in private practice, he became an Assistant United States Attorney, a position in which he served for almost seven years…Like his predecessors, Morgan had been politically active, serving as Town Councilman and member of the Assembly…

Judge Morgan’s time on the bench would prove to be unfortunately brief. Illness forced him to leave the courtroom in August of 1958. He continued to serve, however, working on cases in the hospital until his death on May 24, 1959. In January of that same year, in fact, he issued decisions in condemnation cases from his bed at Roswell Park Memorial Institute.

Other Cases of Note

Judge Morgan inherited a case from Judge Knight which required him to read lengthy briefs and become familiar with a large volume of past proceedings. Once the trial continued, both parties were amazed by his familiarity and accuracy regarding previous testimony.[2]

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[1] The bulk of the information concerning Judge Morgan comes from a newspaper obituary such as: Judge Morgan Dies; Earned Fame in the Assembly and on U.S. Bench, Buffalo Evening News, May 25, 1959, at 11.

[2] Anderson Co. v. Trico Products Corp., 162 F. Supp. 224 (W.D.N.Y. 1958); Anderson Co. v. Trico Products Corp., 267 F.2d 700 (2d Cir. 1959).