Western District of Pennsylvania / Appointed 1953 / Served to 1998

Joseph Putnam Willson

Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953 and confirmed by voice vote, Joseph Putnam Willson was a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He earned a law degree from Temple University School of Law (now James E. Beasley School of Law) in 1931. Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, July 14, 1953

Appointed by
Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953
Confirmed
by voice vote
Education
University of Pennsylvania 1926 · Temple Law (now James E. Beasley School of Law) 1931
Federal judicial service
YearCourtAppointed byVote
1953Western District of Pennsylvania · succeeded Owen McIntosh BurnsEisenhower (R)voice

A per-senator roll-call isn’t shown for this confirmation. The Senate’s recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989; many confirmations (especially before then, and most to the lower courts) were by voice vote or unanimous consent.

Education
Sources

45 years on the Western District of Pennsylvania. Data last verified 2026-06-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).