Talk:Robert Beezer

Birthdate?

The article says he was born July 21, 1928, which would make him 85 years old on the date of his death, March 30, 2012. However, the Ninth Circuit says he died at age 83: [1], [2]. If he really was 83, he was born no earlier than March 31, 1929. The year 1928 (but no month and date), given in this article is corroborated by the FJC bio: [3] ("Born 1928 in Seattle, WA").

Any ideas? Is the Ninth Circuit press release just in error? TJRC (talk) 22:13, 2 April 2012 (UTC)

From July 21, 1928 to March 30, 2012 is 83 years 8 months, there is no contradiction. [4]. --Racklever (talk) 06:59, 3 April 2012 (UTC)

I'm an idiot; I didn't notice that the birth-date-and-age template had 1926 instead of the correct 1928, and relied on that being the correct calculation. Worse, I replicated the error over to death-date-and-age without correcting it. Thanks.TJRC (talk) 08:07, 3 April 2012 (UTC)

Ninth Circuit News release

The Ninth Circuit news release on Judge Beezer's death is, for the moment, here. this is probably a good resource to mine for additions to the article, and I may do so myself in the next week or so if no one else does. These don't stay around forever, so I'll include the text here (as a work of the US government, it is not subject to copyright).

April 2, 2012

Contact: David Madden (415) 355-8800

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Mourns Passing of Judge Robert R. Beezer

SAN FRANCISCO – The Hon. Robert R. Beezer, a distinguished senior circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, died of lung cancer Friday (March 30, 2012) at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. He was 83.

Judge Beezer had been a lawyer since 1956 and a federal judge since 1984. At the time of his death, he ranked 14th among his colleagues in years of service on the court.

“Judge Beezer had a long and distinguished career. He was devoted to the law and placed great emphasis on courtesy and civility in its practice. He will be missed,” said Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

"Bob was a great judge and colleague, a wonderful human being and a special friend. We will miss him greatly," said another colleague, Circuit Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain of Portland, Oregon.

"When I practiced law with Bob Beezer 30 years ago, he had a well-earned reputation as a contested probate litigator: tenacious, astute, but unfailingly courteous. He had an intelligent, insightful approach to resolving client problems through creative applications of the law. When I joined him on the Court of Appeals 12 years ago, Bob was already applying the practical skills of a seasoned attorney to resolving complex legal questions with a delightful mixture of reason and common sense. He was respectful to everyone, a careful writer, and a dedicated servant of the law. I shall greatly miss my dear friend, mentor, and colleague,” said Circuit Judge Richard C. Tallman of Seattle.

“Judge Beezer was the model and epitome of wise judicial statesmanship. His opinions were formed of plain language, forceful and direct. He stood up to power whether private or governmental in the name of the Constitution's requirements. He knew the law and gladly shared it with us. I will miss him,” said Circuit Judge Ronald M. Gould, another Seattle colleague. "Bob was a conscientious and caring judge,” saidSenior Circuit Judge Betty Binns Fletcher, also of Seattle.

Nominated by President Reagan, Judge Beezer was confirmed by the Senate on March 27, 1984, and received his commission on March 28, 1984. He assumed senior status on July 31, 1996, but continued to hear cases for many more years. Even after his eyesight failed in recent years, he continued working using computer technology that translated written documents into audio files and displayed the text he wrote in an enlarged font on an oversized monitor. Among his more noteworthy opinions were:

• Marshall v. Stern, 600 F.3d 1037 (9th Cir. 2010), in which his majority opinion narrowed the definition of a non-title 11 "core proceeding" over which bankruptcy courts have jurisdiction to hear and determine. More commonly known as the Anna Nicole Smith case, the opinion, which was affirmed in 2011 by the Supreme Court, is one of the most significant rulings on Article III and the scope of congressional authority to delegate judicial power.

• A & M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc., 239 F.3d 1004 (9th CIr. 2001), in which his majority opinion was a trailblazing decision in the then-incipient field of peer-to-peer digital media sharing. The opinion held that Napster and other file sharing services, by facilitating the exchange of audio files and other digital media, could be held liable as contributory and vicarious infringers of the copyrights on the materials being shared. The opinion was one of the first to address whether file sharing constituted fair use and set the tone for much of the law that followed.

• Campbell v. Wood, 18 F.3d 662 (9th Cir. 1994), written for the majority of a divided en banc court, which found that execution by hanging as administered in Washington was not cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. The Supreme Court declined review.

• Ellison v. Brady, 924, F.2d 872 (9th Cir. 1991), in which the court determined that under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, a proper test for sex discrimination was whether a "reasonable woman" would find the conduct so severe or pervasive as to alter conditions of employment. The case, which involved a woman who received love letters from a male colleague, was remanded to trial court.

Prior to coming onto the federal bench, Judge Beezer had been in private practice with the Seattle law firm of Schweppe, Doolittle, Krug, Tausend & Beezer from 1956 until his appointment. He also served as a judge pro tem in the Seattle Municipal Court from 1962 to 1976. While in private practice, Judge Beezer was actively involved in the Seattle-King County Bar Association and the Washington State Bar Association, serving on the state bar Board of Governors from 1980 to 1983. He was a fellow of the American Bar Association and the American College of Probate Counsel, where he promoted probate reform and new probate procedures. During this time, he had a major hand in drafting the current Washington State Probate Code.

A lifelong resident of Seattle, Judge Beezer attended the University of Washington and the University of Virginia, where he received his B.A. in 1951 and LL.B. in 1956. Prior to entering law school, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving two years of active service. He served in the Marine Corps Reserve for more than 20 years before retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Judge Beezer is survived by his wife of 54 years, Hazlehurst; a son, Robert, and his wife, Patricia Ina Dorsey, of Tacoma; another son, John Leighton, and a daughter, Allison, both of Seattle; and two grandchildren.

A private funeral service is planned Wednesday with burial to follow in the Tahoma National Cemetery near Seattle.

###

This can be cited as:

{{cite web |last=Madden |first=David |title=Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Mourns Passing of Judge Robert R. Beezer |url=http://www.ce9.uscourts.gov/absolutenm/articlefiles/448-Passing_of_Judge_Beezer.pdf|work=News Release |publisher=United States Courts for the Ninth Circuit Public Information Office |accessdate=April 2, 2012 |date=April 2, 2012}}

TJRC (talk) 22:47, 2 April 2012 (UTC)