John Cooper Godbold

John Cooper Godbold
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
In office October 23, 1987 – December 22, 2009
Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
In office 1981–1986
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Paul Hitch Roney
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
In office October 1, 1981 – October 23, 1987
Appointed by	Reassigned to Eleventh Circuit pursuant to operation of law
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Emmett Ripley Cox
Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
In office 1981–1981
Preceded by	James P. Coleman
Succeeded by	Charles Clark
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
In office July 22, 1966 – September 30, 1981
Appointed by	Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	Richard Taylor Rives
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	(1920-03-04)March 4, 1920 Coy, Alabama
Died	December 22, 2009(2009-12-22) (aged 89) Montgomery, Alabama
Alma mater	Auburn University B.S. Harvard Law School J.D.
Profession	Judge

John Cooper Godbold (March 24, 1920 – December 22, 2009) was a United States Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Biography

Born in Coy, Alabama, Godbold received a Bachelor of Science from Auburn University in 1940 and was a Major in the United States Army, Division Artillery Headquarters during World War II, from 1941 to 1946. He received a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1948, and was in private practice in Montgomery, Alabama from 1948 to 1966.

Court of Appeals service

On June 28, 1966, Godbold was nominated by President Johnson to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated by Richard Taylor Rives. Godbold was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 22, 1966, and received his commission the same day. He served as chief judge in 1981, but on October 1, 1981, he was reassigned by operation of law to the newly created United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He served as the first chief judge of that court, from 1981 to 1986, and assumed senior status on October 23, 1987. He served as Director of the Federal Judicial Center from 1987 to 1990, and was a professor of law at the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University beginning in 1990. He continued in senior status for twenty-two years, until his death, in 2009, in Montgomery, Alabama.

Sources

• John Cooper Godbold at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.