James Braxton Craven papers, 1961-1977

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Summary

Creator:
Craven, James Braxton
Abstract:
North Carolina lawyer and federal judge. The legal and judicial papers of U.S. Circuit Court Judge James Braxton Craven span the years 1961-1977. Files of correspondence, memoranda, and legal motions and orders concern a multitude of cases in which Craven was involved. Cases include civil suits; criminal cases, including many prisoners' petitions for Writs of Habeas Corpus, particularly since Gideon v. Wainwright; and appeals from administrative boards and commissions, including the FCC, SEC, NLRB, and others. After 1970, Craven served on "three-judge" district court sessions, special courts which usually relate to civil suits raising questions of governmental policy and of constitutional law, and the files document these as well. There are also files dating from 1964-1973 which concern school integration cases. The correspondence between judges is particularly significant, revealing the intersection of personal belief and the carrying out of judicial processes in the lower and higher courts. The collection also includes a précis outlining the legal philosophy and the highlights of Craven's career, but contains very little personal material.
Extent:
224 Linear Feet
168,210 Items
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.00266

Background

Scope and content:

The legal and judicial papers of U.S. Circuit Court Judge James Braxton Craven span the years 1961-1977. Files of correspondence, memoranda, and legal motions and orders concern a multitude of cases in which Craven was involved. Cases include civil suits; criminal cases, including many prisoners' petitions for Writs of Habeas Corpus, particularly since Gideon v. Wainwright; and appeals from administrative boards and commissions, including the FCC, SEC, NLRB, and others. After 1970, Craven served on "three-judge" district court sessions, special courts which usually relate to civil suits raising questions of governmental policy and of constitutional law, and the files document these as well. There are also files dating from 1964-1973 which concern school integration cases. The correspondence between judges is particularly significant, revealing the intersection of personal belief and the carrying out of judicial processes in the lower and higher courts. The collection also includes a précis outlining the legal philosophy and the highlights of Craven's career, but contains very little personal material. Arrangement is in one large alphabetical file, prefaced by a file of biographical information.

Biographical / historical:
Chronology
Date Event
1918 April 3
James Braxton Craven born in Lenoir County, N.C., son of a Methodist minister
1939
A.B., Duke University
1942
LL.B., Harvard University
1942-1946
Served in U.S. Navy
1946
Admitted to North Carolina Bar
Solicitor of the Burke County Criminal Court
1948-1952
Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina
1956
Appointed North Carolina Superior Judge
1959-1960
Vice President of the North Carolina Bar Association
1961
Appointed Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District in North Carolina
1963
Elected a member of the Institute of Judicial Administration
1966-1977
U.S. Circuit Judge, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
1967
Visiting professor in constitutional law at the University of North Carolina Law School
1968
Visiting professor in federal courts at the University of Texas Law School
1970
Visiting professor in constitutional law at the University of North Carolina Law School
1972-1973
Duke University Board of Trustees member
1977 May 3
Death of James Braxton Craven at age 59
Acquisition information:
The James Braxton Craven Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 1978.
Processing information:

Processed and catalogued by Rubenstein Library staff, 1981.

Encoded by Ted Holt and Paula Jeannet, March 2008.

Accession 1-12-1978 is described in this finding aid.

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], James Braxton Craven Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University