Federal Judge Continues to Hear Cases at 103

At 103 years old, U.S. District Judge Wesley Brown is the oldest working federal judge in the nation. Of President Kennedy’s appointees, he is only one of four still on the bench. Though Judge Brown has “senior status” which allows him to have a reduced case load, he continues to hear cases from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every day. Four years ago he moved into assisted living, but Judge Brown does not plan to leave his post unless it is “feet first.”

In a profession where advanced age isn’t unusual — and, indeed, is valued as a source of judicial wisdom — Brown has left legal colleagues awestruck by his stamina and devotion to work. His service also epitomizes how the federal court system keeps working even as litigation steadily increases, new judgeships remain rare, and judicial openings go unfilled for months or years.

Roxana Hegeman, Federal Judge, 103, Still Hearing Cases in Kansas, Associated Press, Apr. 10, 2011.

Special Thanks to Jim Hillhouse (WealthCounsel) for bringing this to my attention.