Dominic Augustin Hall

Dominic Hall
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Louisiana
In office June 1, 1813 – December 19, 1820
Appointed by	James Madison
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	John Dick
In office June 1, 1812 – February 22, 1813
Appointed by	James Madison
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Himself
Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court
In office February 22, 1813 – May 29, 1813
Appointed by	William Claiborne
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Francois Martin
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Orleans
In office December 11, 1804 – April 30, 1812
Appointed by	Thomas Jefferson
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Judge of the United States Circuit Court for the Fifth Circuit
In office July 1, 1801 – July 1, 1802
Appointed by	Thomas Jefferson
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	January 1, 1765 South Carolina, British America
Died	December 19, 1820 (aged 55) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Political party	Democratic-Republican

Dominic Augustin Hall (January 1, 1765 – December 19, 1820) was a United States federal judge, appointed by two different presidents to four federal judicial positions.

Born in South Carolina, Hall entered the private practice of law in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1789.

On July 1, 1801, Hall received a recess appointment from President Thomas Jefferson to a new seat on the United States Circuit Court for the Fifth Circuit created by the Midnight Judges Act (2 Stat. 89). Hall was confirmed by the United States Senate, and received his commission, on January 26, 1802. However, Hall's judgeship was terminated when the court was abolished on July 1, 1802. Jefferson again nominated Hall to a judgeship on November 30, 1804, this time to a new seat created by 2 Stat. 283 on the United States District Court for the District of Orleans, created to serve part of the territory recently acquired in the Louisiana Purchase. Hall was confirmed by the Senate on November 30, 1804, and received his commission on December 11, 1804. His service was again terminated by the abolition of the court, this time on April 30, 1812, as Louisiana became a state.

Hall was later nominated by President James Madison, on May 27, 1812, to be a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Louisiana, a new seat created by 2 Stat. 701. Hall was confirmed by the Senate on May 28, 1812, and received his commission on June 1, 1812. On February 22, 1813, Hall resigned to become a judge of the Louisiana Supreme Court. However, he only held the position until May 1813, serving as that court's first Chief Judge. On May 29, 1813, Madison renominated Hall to the District of Louisiana, to the same seat that Hall had vacated. Hall was confirmed by the Senate for the final time on June 1, 1813, receiving his commission that day.

In 1815, after it was learned that a treaty ending the War of 1812 had been signed, Hall challenged Andrew Jackson's continuing enforcement of martial law. Hall was particularly incensed that Jackson had executed six militiamen for departing early from their enlistments. Jackson threw Hall in jail for daring to question his rule. After martial law ended, Hall fined Jackson $1,000 for contempt of court.^[1]

Hall remained in office until his death, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

References

1. Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815–1848 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), p. 70

Sources

• Dominic Augustin Hall at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.