Western District of Washington / Appointed 1971 / Served to 2021
Walter Thomas McGovern
Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Appointed by President Richard M. Nixon in 1971 and confirmed by voice vote, Walter Thomas McGovern was a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. He earned a law degree from University of Washington School of Law in 1950. Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, April 21, 1971
- Appointed by
- Richard M. Nixon, 1971
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Education
- University of Washington 1949 · University of Washington Law 1950
- Succeeded
- William James Lindberg
- Succeeded by
- Thomas Samuel Zilly
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Western District of Washington · succeeded William James Lindberg | Nixon (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
| University of Washington | B.A. | 1949 |
| University of Washington School of Law | LL.B. | 1950 |
Sources
50 years on the Western District of Washington. Data last verified 2026-06-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).