Walter Hartman Hodge

Who was Walter Hartman Hodge?

Walter Hartman Hodge was an American lawyer and judge.

Hodge was born in 1896 in Auburn, Indiana. He attended the University of Washington School of Law and graduated with an LL.B. in 1919. He served as a law clerk for the Supreme Court of Washington from 1919–1920 and went into private practice in Wenatchee, Washington in 1921. Later, he served as the deputy prosecuting attorney for Skagit County, Washington, 1921-1924 before returning to private practice in Seattle, Washington, 1925-1926.

Hodge served as the Assistant U.S. attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Cordova, Territory of Alaska, 1926-1929. He then again returned to private practice in Seattle, 1929-1934. He then practiced law in Cordova, Alaska, 1934-1954. Later, he served as the U.S. Territorial Judge, U.S. District Court for the Territory of Alaska, 1954–1959 and then as an Associate justice, Supreme Court of the State of Alaska, 1959-1960.

He was nominated by Dwight D. Eisenhower on January 14, 1960, to be a Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska. Hodge was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 18, 1960, and received his commission on February 19, 1960. He served as chief judge from 1961–1966 and assumed senior status on August 30, 1966. His service terminated on July 12, 1975, due to death.