James Stuart Holden

Who was James Stuart Holden?

James Stuart Holden was a United States federal judge.

Born in Bennington, Vermont, Holden received an A.B. from Dartmouth College in 1935 and an LL.B. from Albany Law School in 1938. He was in private practice in Bennington from 1938 to 1941. He was in the United States Army during World War II, serving from 1941 to 1945 and achieving the rank of Major in the U.S. Infantry. He returned to private practice in Bennington from 1945 to 1948, and was also a State's attorney of Bennington County, Vermont from 1947 to 1948. He was Chairman of the Public Service Commission, State of Vermont from 1948 to 1949. He was a judge on the Vermont Superior Court from 1949 to 1956, and then served on the Vermont Supreme Court, as an associate justice from 1956 to 1963, and as chief justice from 1963 to 1972.

On November 11, 1971, Holden was nominated by President Richard Nixon to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Vermont vacated by James L. Oakes. Holden was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 23, 1971, and received his commission on November 30, 1971. He served as chief judge from 1972 to 1983, assuming senior status on January 29, 1984.