John Cooper Godbold

John Cooper Godbold
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
In office October 23, 1987 – December 22, 2009
Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
In office October 1, 1981 – September 3, 1986
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Paul Hitch Roney
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
In office October 1, 1981 – October 23, 1987
Appointed by	operation of law
Preceded by	Seat established by 94 Stat. 1994
Succeeded by	Emmett Ripley Cox
Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
In office February 2, 1981 – October 1, 1981
Preceded by	James P. Coleman
Succeeded by	Charles Clark
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
In office July 22, 1966 – October 1, 1981
Appointed by	Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	Richard Rives
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	John Cooper Godbold (1920-03-04)March 4, 1920 Coy, Alabama
Died	December 22, 2009(2009-12-22) (aged 89) Montgomery, Alabama
Education	Auburn University (BS) Harvard Law School (JD)

John Cooper Godbold (March 24, 1920 – December 22, 2009) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Born in Coy, Alabama, Godbold received a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University in 1940 and was a Major in the United States Army, Division Artillery Headquarters during World War II, from 1941 to 1946. He received a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1948, and was in private practice in Montgomery, Alabama from 1948 to 1966.^[1]

Godbold was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on June 28, 1966, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated by Judge Richard Rives. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 22, 1966, and received his commission the same day. He served as a board member of the Federal Judicial Center from 1976 to 1981. He served as Chief Judge from February 2, 1981, until he was reassigned by operation of law to the newly formed United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on October 1, 1981.^[2] He then served as its Chief Judge until September 3, 1986, when he stepped down several days before Judge Paul Hitch Roney's eligibility for the chief judgeship was set to expire.^[3] He assumed senior status on October 23, 1987. He was Director of the Federal Judicial Center from 1987 to 1990. His service terminated on December 22, 2009, due to his death in Montgomery.^[1]

Concurrent with his federal judicial service, Godbold was a professor of law at the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University from 1990 until his death.^[1]

• List of United States federal judges by longevity of service

• John Cooper Godbold at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.