Thomas J. Michie

Thomas Johnson Michie (June 7, 1896 – April 9, 1973) was a Virginia attorney and United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia.

Thomas J. Michie
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
In office
June 30, 1961 – April 9, 1973
Appointed byJohn F. Kennedy
Preceded byRoby C. Thompson
Succeeded bySeat abolished pursuant to 71 Stat. 586
Mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia
In office
September 1, 1958 – August 31, 1960
Preceded byJack Davis
Succeeded byLouie Scribner
Personal details
Born
Thomas Johnson Michie

(1896-06-07)June 7, 1896
Northport, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 1973(1973-04-09) (aged 76)
EducationUniversity of Virginia (A.B., A.M., LL.B.)

Education and career

Born on June 7, 1896, in Northport, New York, Michie was the son and nephew of the founders of The Michie Company, a lawbook publisher based in Charlottesville, Virginia.[1] Michie received an Artium Baccalaureus degree in 1917 from the University of Virginia, an Artium Magister degree in 1920 from the same institution and a Bachelor of Laws in 1921 from the University of Virginia School of Law. He was a United States Army Second Lieutenant from 1917 to 1919. He entered private practice in Charlottesville from 1921 to 1926. He was an attorney for the Koppers Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1926 to 1942, serving as chief counsel from 1937 to 1942. He was a United States Army Air Corps Lieutenant Colonel from 1942 to 1946. He returned to private practice in Charlottesville from 1946 to 1961, also serving as a Lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law during the same period.[2] The law firm he founded during this period remains in existence.[3] He was the Mayor of Charlottesville from 1958 to 1960.[2] As Mayor, Michie counseled the white citizens of Charlottesville to accept desegregation "as good citizens should."[4] Michie was "a strong, strong leader in trying to work out an acceptable pattern of integration."[5]

Family

Michie's son, Thomas J. Michie Jr. (D) served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1971 to 1980 and then as state senator from 1980 to 1992.[6] In 1942, Michie published a history of his family, The Michies, going back to a Scottish immigrant, known as "Scotch John" Michie.[7]

Federal judicial service

Michie was nominated by President John F. Kennedy on May 11, 1961, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia vacated by Judge Roby C. Thompson.[2] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 27, 1961, and received his commission on June 30, 1961.[2] On November 6, 1967, the President certified Michie involuntarily as disabled in accordance with the act of September 2, 1957, 71 Stat. 586, which entitled the president to appoint an additional judge for the court and provided that no successor to the judge certified as disabled be appointed.[8] Hiram Emory Widener Jr. was appointed to the additional judgeship.[8] Michie remained in active status and continued to render a reduced level of service.[8] His service terminated on April 9, 1973, due to his death.[2] Due to the provisions of 71 Stat. 586, Michie's seat was abolished upon his death.[8]

Notable cases and practices

In 1963, Michie began the tradition of conducting naturalization ceremonies at Monticello on Independence Day.[9] Michie was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, owner of Monticello.[10]

Along with his colleagues, including Judges Ted Dalton and John Paul, Michie implemented the decision of the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education in Western Virginia. In 1961, Michie ordered the admission of black students to the high school in Lynchburg, Virginia.[11] In 1965, Michie ruled that the school board of Giles County, Virginia violated the Fourteenth Amendment by the dismissal of all of its African-American teachers in the course of integrating its school system.[12] In connection with the civil rights demonstrations in Danville, Virginia in 1963, Michie chose to abstain from exercising jurisdiction over a petition filed by William Kunstler to obtain a federal court injunction against the criminal prosecution of the demonstrators.[13]

References
  1. Bryson, William Hamilton (2000). Virginia Law Books: Essays and Bibliographies. ISBN 0-87169-239-2.
  2. "Michie, Thomas Johnson - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
  3. "Firm History". Michie Hamlett. Michie Hamlett, Attorneys at Law. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  4. "The Machinery of Massive Resistance: State Opposition to School Integration in Virginia" (PDF). Timothy Jarrett. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
  5. "Interview with Harry Michael, Modern Virginia Interviews". Virginia Center for Digital History. Archived from the original on February 5, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2008.
  6. "Thomas J. Michie, Jr (D)". Virginia Elections Database. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  7. Michie, Thomas Johnson. The Michies. Library of Congress call number CS71.M623 1942.
  8. "U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Virginia: Succession Charts - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
  9. "Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello". America's Library. Archived from the original on February 9, 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
  10. "Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello". Library of Congress. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
  11. "Notable Civil Rights Events". TilJusticeRolls. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
  12. "Time Magazine, Friday, Jun. 18, 1965". Time. June 18, 1965. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
  13. Chase v. McCain, 220 F. Supp. 407 (W.D. Va. 1963), aff'd, Baines v. City of Danville, Va., 357 F.2d 756 (4th Cir. 1966).
Legal offices
Preceded by
Roby C. Thompson		 Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
1961–1973		 Succeeded by
Seat abolished
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