Lorenzo Sawyer
Appointed by President Ulysses Grant in 1870 and confirmed by voice vote, Lorenzo Sawyer was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He previously served on the U.S. Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit. Sources ↓
- Lived
- 1820–1891
- Appointed by
- Ulysses Grant, 1870
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Succeeded by
- Joseph McKenna
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | U.S. Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit | Grant (R) | Voice vote |
| 1891 | Ninth Circuit | Reassigned | – |
Party letters show the appointing president’s party, not the judge’s own. A voice vote means the chamber approved aloud. No senator-by-senator tally is recorded.
Confirmation vote
Voice vote
The Senate approved this confirmation aloud, with no senator-by-senator tally recorded. Recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989.
Education
Before the bench
Professional career before and outside the federal bench, as recorded by the Federal Judicial Center.
| Private practice, Chicago, Illinois | 1846-1848 |
| Private practice, Jefferson, Wisconsin | 1848-1850 |
| Private practice, Sacramento, California | 1850 |
| Private practice, Nevada City and San Francisco, California | 1850-1861 |
| City attorney, San Francisco, California | 1854- |
| Private practice, San Francisco, California, and Virginia City, Nevada | 1861-1862 |
| Judge, California District Court, Twelfth Judicial District | 1862-1863 |
| Justice, Supreme Court of California, 1863-1869; chief justice | 1868-1869 |
Questions & answers
- Who appointed Lorenzo Sawyer?
- President Ulysses Grant appointed Lorenzo Sawyer to the U.S. Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit in 1870.
- Was Lorenzo Sawyer appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?
- Lorenzo Sawyer was appointed by President Ulysses Grant, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
- What was Lorenzo Sawyer's confirmation vote?
- Lorenzo Sawyer was confirmed by voice vote on January 10, 1870. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
- Which court was Lorenzo Sawyer on?
- Lorenzo Sawyer was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Sources
Each fact on this page traces to a primary public record.
- FJC Biographical Directory
- Wikidata
- Portrait: Thors Instantaneous Photographs, San Francisco (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
How we source & reconcile data → Data & Sources
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Appointed in 1891. Data as of 2026-09-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).