THE HONORABLE JOHN H. PRATT

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Oral History Project

The Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit

Oral History Project United States CourtsThe Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit District of Columbia Circuit

The Honorable John H. Pratt

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Interviews conducted by:Jacob A. Stein, Esquire

1992, 1993

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Oral History Agreements

Honorable John H. Pratt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

Jacob A. Stein, Esq.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Biographical Sketches

Honorable John H. Pratt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Jacob A. Stein, Esq.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Oral History Transcript of Interviews conducted in 1992 and 1993. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1

NOTE

The following pages record interviews conducted in 1992 and 1993. The interviews were

electronically recorded, and the transcription was subsequently reviewed and edited by

the interviewee.

The contents hereof and all literary rights pertaining hereto are governed by, and are

subject to, the Oral History Agreements included herewith.

© 1996 Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit.

All rights reserved.

PREFACE

The goal of the Oral History Project of the Historical Society of the District of Columbia

Circuit is to preserve the recollections of the judges who sat on the U.S. Courts of the

District of Columbia Circuit, and judges’ spouses, lawyers and court staff who played

important roles in the history of the Circuit. The Project began in 1991. Most interviews

were conducted by volunteers who are members of the Bar of the District of Columbia.

Copies of the transcripts of these interviews, a copy of the transcript on 3.5" diskette (in

WordPerfect format), and additional documents as available – some of which may have

been prepared in conjunction with the oral history – are housed in the Judges’ Library in

the United States Courthouse, 333 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.

Inquiries may be made of the Circuit Librarian as to whether the transcript and diskette

are available at other locations.

Such original audio tapes of the interviews as exist as well as the original 3.5" diskettes of

the transcripts are in the custody of the Circuit Executive of the U. S. Courts for the

District of Columbia Circuit.

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John H. PrattJudgeU.S. District Court for the District of ColumbiaU.S. CourthouseThird and Constitution Ave., NWWashington, DC 20001

Nominated for appointment April 11, 1968 by President Johnson (D). Born November 17, 1910, in Portsmouth, NH to Harold B. and Marguerite R. Pratt. Married Oct. 25, 1938, to BerniceSafford. Children: Clare W., Lucinda Pearlman, John Helm, Jr., Patricia Moriarty, and Mary W.

Education: Georgetown University, 1926-28Harvard College, 1928-30, A.B. (cum laude)Harvard Law School, 1931-34, LL.B.Admitted to DC Bar, Maryland Bar, 1950

Military Service: Entered active duty, U.S. Marine Corps in 1942; released as CPT in 1946after WWII service; Bronze Star, Purple Heart, two (2) Presidential UnitCitations.

Career Record: 1934-42, associate, Morris, KixMiller & Baar, Washington, DC1946-68, partner, Morris, Pearce, Gardner & Pratt, Washington, DC

Member: Harvard Law School Association, president, 1952-53DC Bar Association, president, 1963-64American Bar Association, House of Delegates, 1963-64American Bar Foundation, 1965Legal Aid Agency, now Public Defenders Service, Washington, DC,

chairman, trustee, l 967-68J.A.G. Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association, 1960-68American Judicature SocietyJudicial Conference of the U.S., Committee on Judicial Ethics, chairman,

1984-90

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RESUME OF JACOB A. STEIN

Jacob A. Stein. Partner, Stein, Mitchell & Mezines. Generaltrial practice commencing in 1948.

Education and Honorary Degrees

LL.B. George Washington University, 1948

Honorary degree, Suffolk University School of Law, LL.D.Delivered address to graduating class 1984; Honorary degree, GeorgeWashington University, LL.D. Delivered graduation address to theSchool of Arts & Sciences 1987

Admitted to Practice

All courts in the District of Columbia and Maryland; 4thCircuit; and pro hac vice admissions in numerous circuit courts ofappeal.

Teaching

Visiting instructor, Trial Practice, Harvard Law School 1974-1991. Adjunct professor, Evidence, Georgetown University LawSchool; Adjunct Professor, Legal Ethics, American University LawSchool; Adjunct Professor, George Washington University Law School,Products Liability.

Continuing Legal Education

Participant as instructor in over 75 Trial Practice seminarsfor the ABA, the D.C. Bar, the Maryland Bar, the American TrialLawyers Association, State Bar Associations, the Federal BarAssociation, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Inns of Court,Judicial Conference proceedings and College for Newly AppointedFederal Judges, and privately funded seminars specializing in trialpractice, evidence.

Scholarly

Senior Editor, Litigation. The Publication of the AmericanBar Association Litigation Section

Member Advisory Board, Inside Litigation

Personal Injury Damages, Two Volumes, Second Edition 1991Clark Boardman Callaghan

Closing Argument, The Art and The LawClark Boardman Callaghan

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Maryland Trial HandbookClark Boardman Callaghan

District of Columbia Tort Casefinder 3d Ed. A summary of allD.C. tort cases.

Associate EditorMaryland Civil Jury Instructions

District of Columbia Trial Handbook published by ClarkBoardman Callaghan, 1994.

The Law of Law Firms, 1994 - Clark Boardman Callaghan

Numerous articles in Trial Practice, Personal Injury Damages,Evidence, Civil and Criminal Trial Practice. Articles haveappeared in the ABA Journal, Litigation, ATLA, Matthew Benderpublications, National Law Journal, Legal Times, D.C. Bar Journal,Washington Lawyer.

Professional Activities

President, D.C. Bar Association 1967-68President, D.C. Bar 1984-85Lawyer of Year Award, D.C. Bar Association 1981Chairman, Bar Admissions and Bar Examining Committee, D.C. Bar

1972-1978Ethics Committee, United States Court of Appeals for the D.C.

Circuit 1970-1974Ethics Committee, D.C. BarAmerican College of Trial LawyersBoard of Governors, American Trial Lawyers Association 1959-

1961 Chairman, Rules Committee of the United States District Court

for the District of Columbia 1973-1987

Independent Counsel Appointment

Appointed April 2, 1984 as Independent Counsel in the matter ofEdwin Meese, III, by the special division of U.S. Court of Appeals.Report filed on September 20, 1984.

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Index

Acheson, Dean, 24Ailes, Steve, 33Allen, Florence, 10American Bar Association, 45

Judicial Selection Committee, 33Anecdotes:

About judges:Bazelon, David L., 34, 36Boudin, Michael, 30-31Frankfurter, Justice, 26-27Friendly, Henry, 31-32Gasch, Oliver, 48-49Hughes, Chief Justice, 26-27 Keech, Richmond B., 37-38Kronheim, Milton, Jr., 32Robb, Roger, 60-61Stewart, Justice, 21-22Taft, Chief Justice, 27Tamm, Edward Allen, 51-52

About lawyers:Boudin, Leonard, 29-30Connolly, Paul, 53-54Fanelli, Joe, 28-29O'Brian, John Lord, 25-26Wallace, Mike, 48-49Walsh, Lawrence, 44-45

Archbishop of Chicago, 52Arnold & Porter, 59Ash, Bob, 33Atlas Powder Company, 21

see also White Bread/FDA caseBazelon, David L., 34, 36Beitel, Albert, 9Berle, Adolph, 51Biak, Dutch New Guinea, 17-18

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Blick, Inspector, 36Boston Latin School, 3-5

Famous alumni, 3 Boudin, Leonard, 29-30, 43Boudin, Michael, 30-31Boyle, Tony, 53Broderick v. Ruder, 685 F.Supp. 1269 (D.D.C. 1988), 58-59Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, 9-10Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, 9-10Browder, Mr., 62Brown, Ed, 58Bureau of Standards, 2Canada, 45Christopher, Warren, 33Clark, Grenville, 26Clark, Ramsey, 34Committee on Financial Disclosure, 50-51 Committee on Judicial Ethics, 50-51Conant (President of Harvard University), 25-26Connolly, Paul, 53-54Corcoran, Mr., 33Court martial, 46-47, 52-54

see also Schwable casesCovington & Burling, 24-25, 30Cox, Hugh, 31Cox, Mr., 34Cross, John, 20Darrow, Clarence, 62-63Davis, Kenneth, 6Davis, Polk, 43-44, 45Davis on Administrative Law, 6DeFrantz v. United States Olympic Committee, 492 F.Supp. 1181 (D.D.C. 1980), 54Demuth, Dick, 6District of Columbia:

Reminiscences of, 2Riots of 1968, 33

District of Columbia Bar Association, leaders of, 7-8, 40District of Columbia Court of Appeals:

Rover, Leo, 23Donoghue, Jiggs, 40-41Donovan, “Wild Bill,” 22Eastland, Jim, 40Eddy, Nelson, 61Ehrlichman, Mr., 41

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Eisenhower, President, 45Emerson Institute, 4Evans, Rowland, 12Ewing, Mr., 34Exnicious, Marshall, 12Exxon, 43Exxon-Reliance Electric/FTC case, 43-44Fanelli, Joe, 28-29

Hoffa case, 29Federal Trade Commission, 43

see also Exxon-Reliance Electric/FTC caseFegan, David, 20Food and Drug Administration, 20-21, 34-35

see also White Bread/FDA caseFord, Charlie, 38Fortas, Justice, 29, 40Frankfurter, Justice, 26-27Franklin, Benjamin, 3Friedman, Paul L., 39-40Friendly, Henry, 31Gasch, Oliver, 10-11, 33, 34, 36, 40, 48-49Geneva Convention, 46

see also Schwable casesGeorgetown College, 5-6Gesell, Gerhard R., 24, 30, 31, 56-57Gibson, Jimmy, 12Gichner, Henry, 36Gichner, Larry, 35-36Gillespie, Mr., 43-44Goldolphin, Francis, 15, 19Goltz, Jeffrey, 48Gonzaga High School, 4-5Haiti, 5-6Haldeman, Mr., 41Hale, Edward Everett, 3Halsey, Admiral, 16Hammond, John Hayes, 27Harris, Stanley S., 42Hart, George L., Jr., 55-56

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Harvard University:Board of Overseers, 4Harvard College, 3, 5-6Harvard Divinity School, 25-26Harvard Law School, 6-7Harvard medical unit, 17-18Harvard School of Education, 25

Hastle, Bill, 35Herrick, Chico, 23-24Herrick, Phil, 11, 23, 40Hiss, Alger, 51Hoffa, Jimmy, 29Hoffa case (in Supreme Court), 29Hoffa v. Saxbe, 378 F.Supp. 1221 (D.D.C. 1974), 29-30Hogan, Frank, 8Hogan, Thomas F., 47Holmes, John, 21Holtzoff, Alexander, 36-38, 53Hoover, Herbert, 27Hoover, J. Edgar, 51-52Hopkins, Steven, 1Horskey, Charlie, 6, 28Hruska, Senator, 40Huff, Neil, 21Hughes, Chief Justice, 25-27Hughes, Colonel, 8Hurley, Dan, 39-40Indianapolis, 14Indianapolis utility cases, 14-15Interstate Commerce Commission, 9-10

see also Railroad Brotherhood caseJacobs, Granville, 35Janney, Stuart, 19“Jewish seat,” the, 36Johnson, Lyndon, 33-34Jones, Day, 43-44Justice Department, U.S., 45Kaiser, Henry, 10Keech, Richmond B., 37-38Kennedy, Joe, 3Kennedy, President, 30, 32, 44King, Martin Luther, 33Korean War, 46Kronheim, Milton, Jr., 31-32, 52

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Kruez, Admiral, 18Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, 15Lamberth, Royce C., 48Landis, Jim, 10Laughlin, Mr., 38Lawyer's Club, 14Leahy, William, 8-9Levenson, Irv, 35Lewis, John L., 11Leyte Island, 16Lombard, Judge, 22Lynch, Hugh, 5, 13Lynch, Hugh, III, 13Lynham, Charlie, 14Lynham, John, 14Lyons, Ted, 15MacChesney, Brunson, 10MacKinnon, George E., 43-44, 45Mafia, 51Mann, Jimmy, 11Markey, Howard, 45Marshall Islands, 15Massachusetts, 1Massie case, 62-63Mayflower, The, 1McAloney, Holt, 19McCartan, Patrick, 43-44McGuire, Matthew F., 37Medical expert witness case, 48Merion Cricket Club, 12Military widow case, 42Miller, Captain, 18-19Mine Workers Journal, 53Minton, Sherman, 43Minzenty, Cardinal, 47Mitchell, John, 41Morris, George, 7, 9-10Mundelein, Cardinal, 52Mundy, Ken, 57-58Murphy, Jimmy, 20

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Naval Hospitals:Bethesda, Maryland, 18-19Mare Island, California, 18Oakland, California, 18Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 18

Nevers, Ernie, 15Newmeyer, Alvin, Sr., 51-52Newsweek, 52-54Nixon, President, 41Noel, Regis, 7-8Oberdorfer, Louis F., 35O'Brian, John Lord, 24-26Olson (pilot), 17Olympic Games

see DeFrantz v. United States Olympic Committee, 492 F.Supp. 1181 (D.D.C. 1980)Pace, Frank, 12Pennypacker, Mr., 5Pine, David A., 23Powell, John, 40Pratt, John H.:

Early life:birthday, 27family history, 1-3, 5military family, 1-3siblings, 2-3, 63

Education:elementary education:

parochial school, 2-3Boston Latin School, 3-4

alumni, 3-4Georgetown College, 5-6Harvard College, 5-6Harvard Law School, 6-7

classmates, 6-7public speaking training, 35secondary education:

Emerson Institute, 4Gonzaga, 4-5

U.S. Senate page, 4Judges, memorable:

Gesell, Gerhard R., 56-57Hart, GeorgeL., Jr., 55-56Keech, Richmond B., 37-38Revercomb, George H., 57

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Robb, Roger, 60-61Sentelle, David B., 45

Judicial philosophies:best job in the world, 59discovery, abuse of, 50expert witness credentials, 48human nature, knowledge of, 50judicial temperament, 49-50jury system, 54-55oral argument, value of, 41-42pro se cases and lack of jurisdiction, 55-56qualities of a good judge, 60sentencing guidelines, 47

Lawyers:Memorable:

Boudin, Leonard, 29-30, 43Hogan, Frank, 8Leahy, William, 8-9McCartan, Patrick, 43O'Brian, John Lord, 24-26Wallace, Mike, 48-49

Rainmakers, 22-25Legal career (prior to judgeship):

Indianapolis utility cases, 14-15practice of law:

circa 1960's, 34-35, 37 unpleasant aspects of, 39

Railroad Brotherhood case, 9-10Schwable court martial, 46-47Schwable libel case, 52-54tax work, 7, 9White Bread/FDA case, 20-21, 34-35

Personal life:children, 58father:

anecdote about, 62-63death of, 61Massie case, dispute with father about, 62-63

friendships, 10-11squash, 5, 11-12tennis, 12-14, 23-24travel, 61

On U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia:appointment to, 32-34, 38-39, 40

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confirmation hearings, 40“Jewish seat,” taking the, 36opposition to appointment, 34

law clerks, 39-40, 58, 59-60notable cases:

Broderick v. Ruder, 685 F.Supp. 1269 (D.D.C. 1988), 58, 59DeFrantz v. United States Olympic Committee, 492 F.Supp. 1181 (D.D.C. 1980), 54Exxon-Reliance Electric/FTC case, 43-44Hoffa v. Saxbe, 378 F.Supp. 1221 (D.D.C. 1974), 29-30medical expert witness case, 48military widow case, 42Yablonski v. United Mine Workers of America, 305 F.Supp. 868 (D.D.C. 1969), 53

pleasures of being on the bench, 39, 41takes senior status, 30temper, loss of, 48-49U.S. Judicial Conference:

Committee on Financial Disclosure, 50-51Committee on Judicial Ethics, chairman of, 50-51

women law clerks, 58, 59U.S. Marine Corps service:

Aviation Volunteer Specialist, 15-17friendships, 19injured, 15-18

medical problems from injury, 18-19Naval Hospitals:

Bethesda, Maryland, 18-19Mare Island, California, 18Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 18

retires from the service, 15, 18Pratt, William Veazie, 2-3Priest, Degory, 1Procter & Gamble, 20-21

see also White Bread/FDA casePusey, Merlo, 25Racquet Club, 11Railroad Brotherhood case, 9-10Rainmakers, 22-25Rauh, Joe, 53Reilly, Gerry, 3Reisman, David, 6-7

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Reliance Electric Company, 43see also Exxon-Reliance Electric/FTC case

Revercomb, George H., 57Rizzo, Frank, 51Robb, Charles H., 60Robb, Irene, 61Robb, Lillian, 61Robb, Roger, 39-40, 42, 60-61Robinson, Aubrey E., Jr., 39-40Robinson, Spottswood W., III, 31Rogers, Ginger, 51Roosevelt, (Franklin Delano), 52Roosevelt, Theodore, 60Root, Elihu, 25Rover, Leo, 23Rowe, Jim, 4, 32-34Ruane, Mike, 29-30Sachs, Sidney, 33, 36Sanders, Barefoot, 33-34Schwable, Frank, 46-47, 52-54Schwable court martial, 46-47Schwable libel case, 52-54Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S., 10, 58

see also Broderick v. Ruder, 685 F.Supp. 1269 (D.D.C. 1988)Sentelle, David B., 45Sentencing Guidelines, 47Sexual harassment case (Broderick v. Ruder, 685 F.Supp. 1269 (D.D.C. 1988)), 58-59Shaw, Dave, 10Shortening Institute, 20-21

see also White Bread/FDA caseSirica, John J., 32Smith, Dr., 48Smith, Pat, 14-15Smith, Roy, 56“Spear carriers,” 43Sporkin, Stanley, 48Stewart, Eugene, 60Stewart, Justice, 21-22Stimson, Henry, 25Sullivan, Pat, 54Sumner, Charles, 3

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Supreme Court, U.S.:Hoffa case, 29Justices:

Fortas, 29, 40Frankfurter, 26-27Hughes, 25-27Stewart, 21-22Taft, 27, 59

Swift & Co., 20-21see also White Bread/FDA case

Tacloban, Leyte Island, 16Taft, Chief Justice, 27, 59Taft-Hartley Act (Labor-Management Relations Act, June 23, 1947, c. 120, 61 Stat. 136), 10Tamm, Edward Allen, 50-52, 59Tatel, David S., 58Temple, Larry, 33-34Thompson, Will, 14-15Truman, Harry, 32United Mine Workers, 11, 53U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit:

Hastle, Bill, 35White Bread/FDA case, 20-21, 34-35

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit:Judges:

Allen, Florence, 10Stewart, Potter, 21-22

Railroad Brotherhood case, 9-10U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit:

Judges:Bazelon, David L., 34, 36MacKinnon, George E., 43-44, 45Robb, Charles H., 60Robb, Roger, 39-40, 42, 60-61Robinson, Spottswood W., III, 31Sentelle, David B., 45Tamm, Edward Allen, 50-52, 59Tatel, David S., 58

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia: cases:

Broderick v. Ruder, 685 F.Supp. 1269 (D.D.C. 1988), 58-59DeFrantz v. United States Olympic Committee, 492 F.Supp. 1181 (D.D.C. 1980), 54Exxon-Reliance Electric/FTC case, 43-44Hoffa v. Saxbe, 378 F.Supp. 1221 (D.D.C. 1974), 29-30Medical expert witness case, 48

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Military widow case, 42Schwable libel case, 52-54Yablonski v. United Mine Workers of America, 305 F.Supp. 868 (D.D.C. 1969), 53

Judges: Boudin, Michael, 30-31Friedman, Paul L., 39-40Gasch, Oliver, 10-11, 33, 34, 36, 40, 48-49Gesell, Gerhard R., 24, 30, 31, 56-57Harris, Stanley S., 42Hart, George L., Jr., 55-56Hogan, Thomas F., 47Holtzoff, Alexander, 36-38, 53Keech, Richmond B., 37-38Lamberth, Royce C., 48McGuire, Matthew F., 37Oberdorfer, Louis F., 35Pine, David A., 23Revercomb, George H., 57Robinson, Aubrey E., Jr., 39-40Robinson, Spottswood W., III, 31Sirica, John J., 32Sporkin, Stanley, 48Tamm, Edward Allen, 50-52, 59

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida:Hurley, Dan, 39-40

U.S. Judicial Conference:Committee on Financial Disclosure, 50-51 Committee on Judicial Ethics, 50-51

University Club, 11-12“Unwritten law,” 63Van Arkel, Gary, 10Venable, Baetjer, 19Vietnam War, 40Waldrop, Frank, 52Wallace, Mike, 48-49Walsh, Lawrence, 43-45Washington Daily News, 28Washington Evening Star, 27Watergate, 41Watson, Joe, 17Weiner, Fritz, 27, 28Wheeldon, Tom, 18-19White, Theodore, 3-4White Bread/FDA case, 20-21, 34-35

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White House, 33-34, 40Williams, Ed, 52-54Wilmer, Cutler, 34-35Winchell, Walter, 51Yablonski, Joe, 53Yablonski v. United Mine Workers of America, 305 F.Supp. 868 (D.D.C. 1969), 53