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William Adams Richardson

Former judge · Court of Claims

William Adams Richardson served on the Court of Claims. Appointed by Chester A. Arthur and confirmed Jan 20, 1885 by a 27–20 Senate vote.

Appointed by
Chester A. Arthur
Confirmed
Jan 20, 1885
Senate vote
27–20
Born
1821

Appointments

  • Judge, Court of ClaimsUlysses Grant · Jun 2, 1874 – Jan 20, 1885
  • Chief Justice, Court of ClaimsChester A. Arthur · Jan 20, 1885 – Oct 19, 1896

Education

  • Harvard CollegeA.B., 1843
  • Harvard CollegeA.M., 1846
  • Harvard Law SchoolLL.B., 1846

Career

Private practice, Lowell, Massachusetts, 1846; Justice of the peace, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, 1847-1854; Bank president, Wamesit, Massachusetts, 1852-1853; Judge, Middlesex County [Massachusetts] Probate Court, 1856-1858; Judge, Middlesex County [Massachusetts] Probate and Insolvency Courts, 1858-1872; Assistant secretary of the treasury, 1869-1872; Acting attorney general, U.S. Department of Justice, 1870; Secretary of the Treasury, 1873-1874; Editor, Supplement to the Revised Statutes of the United States, 1874-1891; Professor of law, Georgetown Law School, 1879-1894

More

From the Federal Judicial Center’s biographical directory of federal judges.

Cite or embed this page

Capitol Receipts, “Judge William Adams Richardson, Court of Claims,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/judge/j1393221/william-adams-richardson (accessed 2026-10-16).