Harry Wellford | |
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Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | |
In office August 20, 1982 – January 15, 1991 |
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Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
Preceded by | Bailey Brown |
Succeeded by | Eugene Siler |
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee | |
In office December 12, 1970 – August 20, 1982 |
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Appointed by | Richard Nixon |
Preceded by | Seat established |
Succeeded by | Julia Gibbons |
Personal details | |
Born |
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
August 6, 1924
Education |
Washington and Lee University (BA) Vanderbilt University (LLB) |
Harry Walker Wellford (born August 6, 1924) is a Senior Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Wellford earned a bachelor's degree in 1947 from Washington and Lee University and a law degree in 1950 from Vanderbilt University Law School. Wellford served in the US Navy as an ensign from 1944 to 1946 and worked in private legal practice in Memphis from 1950 to 1970.
He also was active in political affairs, managing the successful campaigns of Howard Baker for U.S Senate in 1966 and Winfield Dunn for Governor of Tennessee in 1970. Wellford was married to Katherine Estes Potts Wellford, and they had five children.
On November 24, 1970 President Richard Nixon nominated Wellford to a newly created seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Wellford was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 11, 1970. On August 4, 1976 President Gerald Ford nominated Wellford to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to replace William Ernest Miller, who had died on April 12, 1976. Civil rights groups objected to Wellford's nomination and, with the nomination coming so late in Ford's presidency, the United States Senate never took a vote on Wellford's nomination before Ford left office. President Jimmy Carter declined to renominate Wellford when he took office, appointing Gilbert S. Merritt, Jr. instead.