Peter W. Hall

For other people named Peter Hall, see Peter Hall (disambiguation).

Peter W. Hall
Hall in 2012
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
In office March 4, 2021 – March 11, 2021
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
In office July 7, 2004 – March 4, 2021
Appointed by	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Fred I. Parker
Succeeded by	Beth Robinson
United States Attorney for the District of Vermont
In office 2001–2004
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Charles Tetzlaff
Succeeded by	David Kirby
Personal details
Born	Peter Welles Hall (1948-11-09)November 9, 1948 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	March 11, 2021(2021-03-11) (aged 72) Rutland City, Vermont, U.S.
Education	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA, MA) Cornell University (JD)

Peter Welles Hall (November 9, 1948 – March 11, 2021) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Biography

Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Hall began his university education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a Bachelor of Arts degree before going on to earn a Master of Arts degree in 1974. He earned his Juris Doctor at Cornell Law School in 1977. During his third year of law school, Hall served as President of the Cornell Legal Aid Clinic. After law school, Hall was a law clerk for Judge Albert Wheeler Coffrin of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont from 1977 to 1978.

Hall's legal career prior to joining the federal bench was divided between the United States Attorney's Office and private practice. He was an Assistant United States Attorney for Vermont from 1978 to 1986 before going into private practice. Following George W. Bush's election to the Presidency in 2001, Hall returned to the federal government, this time as the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont. He served in that position until his appointment to the Second Circuit.

Federal judicial service

President Bush nominated Hall to the Second Circuit on December 9, 2003, to fill the vacancy left by Judge Fred I. Parker. Supported by Vermont Senators Jim Jeffords and Patrick Leahy, Hall's nomination was uncontroversial, and he was confirmed on June 24, 2004, by voice vote. He received his judicial commission on July 7, 2004. Hall took senior status on March 4, 2021 and died of cancer one week later, aged 72.

Notable opinions

Hall wrote opinions on United States v. Wei Guang Wang, an immigration case; United States v. Feliz, an interpretation of the U.S. Supreme Court's Crawford v. Washington precedent; and United States v. Stewart, affirming the 2004 perjury conviction of Martha Stewart.

External links

• Peter W. Hall at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Appearances on C-SPAN