Third Circuit / Appointed 1950 / Served to 1976
Portrait of William Henry Hastie

William Henry Hastie

Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Appointed by President Harry S Truman in 1950 and confirmed by voice vote, William Henry Hastie was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He earned a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1930. Sources ↓

Lived
1904–1976
Appointed by
Harry S Truman, 1950
Confirmed
by voice vote
Chief judge
Third Circuit, 1968 to 1971
Education
Amherst College 1925 · Harvard Law School 1930
Succeeded by
James Rosen

Federal judicial service

YearCourtAppointed byVote
1950Third Circuit
chief judge 1968 to 1971
Truman (D)Voice vote

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, Washington, D.C.1930-1933
Assistant solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior1933-1937
Dean, Howard University School of Law1939-1946
Civilian aide to the Secretary of War1940-1943
Governor, Virgin Islands1946-1949
Member, Judicial Conference of the United States1968-1971

Questions & answers

Who appointed William Henry Hastie?
President Harry S Truman appointed William Henry Hastie to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 1950.
Was William Henry Hastie appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?
William Henry Hastie was appointed by President Harry S Truman, a Democrat. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
What was William Henry Hastie's confirmation vote?
William Henry Hastie was confirmed by voice vote on July 19, 1950. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
Which court was William Henry Hastie on?
William Henry Hastie was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Sources

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25 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Data as of 2026-09-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).