Henry Potter

Who was Henry Potter?

Henry Potter was the longest serving United States federal judge to sit on a single court, and the longest serving active judge. He served on the United States circuit court for the Fifth Circuit from May 1801 until April 1802, and then served as the sole judge of the United States District Court for the District of North Carolina from 1802 to 1857.

Born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, Potter became an attorney by reading law sometime around 1790, and had a private practice in Raleigh, North Carolina from about 1792 to 1802. He received a recess appointment from Thomas Jefferson on May 9, 1801, to a new seat on the Fifth Circuit created by 2 Stat. 89. He was formally nominated to that seat on January 6, 1802, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 26, 1802, and received his commission that day. On April 6, 1802, he was nominated by Jefferson to a seat vacated by John Sitgreaves on what was then known as the United States District Courts, Albemarle, Cape Fear & Pamptico Districts of North Carolina. He was confirmed by the Senate on April 7, 1802, and received his commission the same day.