Harold Montelle Stephens

Harold Montelle Stephens (March 6, 1886 – May 28, 1955) was a United States federal judge.

Born in Crete, Nebraska, Stephens attended the University of California, and received an A.B. from Cornell University in 1909, and in 1913 received an LL.B. from Harvard Law School, from which he would go on to receive an S.J.D. in 1932. He entered private practice in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1912. He was an Assistant prosecuting attorney of Salt Lake County, Utah from 1915 to 1917. He was a judge on the Third Judicial District Court of Utah from 1917 to 1921. He returned to his private practice in 1921, relocating to Los Angeles, California in 1928. He was an Assistant U.S. attorney general of Antitrust Division, Washington, D.C. from 1933 to 1935. He was an Assistant to the attorney general of U.S. Dept. of Justice, Washington, D.C. in 1935.

Stephens was a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Stephens was nominated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on July 23, 1935, to a seat vacated by William Hitz. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 24, 1935, and received his commission on July 27, 1935. Stephens served in that capacity until March 9, 1948, due to appointment to another judicial position.

Chief Justice, United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Stephens was nominated by President Harry S. Truman on February 2, 1948, to a seat vacated by D. Lawrence Groner. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 2, 1948, and received his commission on March 5, 1948. Stephens served in that capacity until September 1, 1948, due to appointment to another judicial position.

Stephens was a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He was reassigned on September 1, 1948; Served as chief judge, 1948-1955. Stephens served in that capacity until his death.

Sources

• Daniel R. Ernst, "State, Party, and Harold M. Stephens: The Utahn Origins of an Anti-New Dealer." Western Legal History 14 (Summer/Fall 2001): 123-57
• Daniel R. Ernst, "Dicey's Disciple on the D.C. Circuit: Judge Harold Stephens and Administrative Law Reform, 1933-1940." Georgetown Law Journal 90 (2002): 787-812
• Harold Montelle Stephens at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.