Gary L. Lancaster

Gary L. Lancaster
Gary L. Lancaster
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
	In office; 2009–2013
Preceded by	Donetta Ambrose
Succeeded by	Sean J. McLaughlin
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
	In office; November 24, 1993 – April 24, 2013
Appointed by	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Timothy K. Lewis
Succeeded by	Marilyn Horan
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
	In office; 1987–1993
Personal details
Born	August 14, 1949; Brownsville, Pennsylvania
Died	April 24, 2013 (aged 63); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Education	Slippery Rock State College (BS); University of Pittsburgh School of Law (JD)

Gary Lee Lancaster^[1] (August 14, 1949 – April 24, 2013) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Early years

Born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, Lancaster received a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education from Slippery Rock State College in 1971 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1974.^[2]

Early career

From 1974 to 1978, Lancaster served as Regional Counsel to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission as well as an Assistant District Attorney in Allegheny County.^[2] He entered private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1978, where he focused mostly on criminal litigation.^[2]

Federal judicial service

United States magistrate judge service

In 1987, Lancaster was selected to serve as a United States magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

United States district court service

He was nominated to be a district judge by President Bill Clinton on October 25, 1993, to the seat vacated by Timothy K. Lewis, who had been elevated to a newly created seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.^[2] Lancaster was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 20, 1993, and received his commission the following day.^[3]

While on the bench, Lancaster served on the committee responsible for drafting the Third Circuit's Model Civil Jury Instructions, and was also appointed by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist to serve on the Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on Judicial Resources.^[2] He was also responsible for overseeing the renovation of the district's historic New Deal-era federal courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh.^[2]

In 2009, Lancaster became the first African-American to serve as Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, succeeding Donetta Ambrose. During his tenure as Chief Judge, Lancaster was instrumental in the court's involvement in the Patent Pilot Program, a national initiative designed to enhance the expertise of federal judges in patent litigation.^[4] As of 2013, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania remains one of the few judicial districts in the country to have Local Patent Rules.

Death

Lancaster died suddenly on April 24, 2013, at his home in Pittsburgh.^[5] He was still on the bench and was expected to serve on active status through at least 2014.^[2] In announcing his death, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review heralded him as a judge known for "being able to handle any case."^[6] He was succeeded as Chief Judge by Sean J. McLaughlin.^[7]

References

^ Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, First Session, on Confirmations of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary, September 23; October 7 and 20; November 9, 16, and 18, 1993. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1995. p. 847.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2013-04-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ Gary L. Lancaster at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2013-05-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Lancaster, Gary L. - Federal Judicial Center".
^ Kerlik, Michael Hasch and Bobby. "Gary Lancaster, Chief U.S. Judge for Western Pa., dead at 63".
^ "Western District of Pennsylvania - United States District Court".

Sources

Gary L. Lancaster at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Timothy K. Lewis	Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania 1993–2013	Succeeded by Marilyn Horan
Preceded by Donetta Ambrose	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania 2009–2013	Succeeded by Sean J. McLaughlin

[1] Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, First Session, on Confirmations of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary, September 23; October 7 and 20; November 9, 16, and 18, 1993. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1995. p. 847.

[uscourts-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2013-04-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[3] Gary L. Lancaster at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

[4] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2013-05-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[5] "Lancaster, Gary L. - Federal Judicial Center".

[6] Kerlik, Michael Hasch and Bobby. "Gary Lancaster, Chief U.S. Judge for Western Pa., dead at 63".

[7] "Western District of Pennsylvania - United States District Court".

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Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States