Richard P. Matsch

From Wikispooks
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Person.png Richard P. Matsch  Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
(judge)
Richard P. Matsch.png
Born8 June 1930
Died26 May 2019 (Age 88)
Alma materUniversity of Michigan Law School

Richard Paul Matsch was an American judge who was Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.[1] He presided over the trial of Oklahoma City bombing defendants Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.[2]

Education and career

Born in Burlington, Iowa, Matsch earned his Artium Baccalaureus degree from the University of Michigan in 1951, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1953. He was in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955, where he performed counterintelligence duties in Korea after hostilities ended. He was an attorney in private practice in Denver, Colorado from 1956 to 1959. He was an Assistant United States Attorney of the District of Colorado from 1959 to 1961. He was a deputy city attorney of City and County of Denver, Colorado from 1961 to 1963. He was in private practice in Denver from 1963 to 1965. He was a Referee in Bankruptcy for the District of Colorado from 1965 to 1973, and thereafter worked as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Colorado from 1973 to 1974.[3]

Federal judicial work

Matsch was nominated by President Richard Nixon on January 31, 1974, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado vacated by Judge Olin Hatfield Chilson. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 1, 1974, and received his commission on March 8, 1974. He was Chief Judge from 1994 to 2000. He assumed senior status on July 1, 2003.[3]

Notable cases

Matsch presided over the trial of Oklahoma City bombing defendants Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.[4]

Matsch was also judge in a lawsuit (Phillips et al. vs. Lucky Gunner)[5] in Denver where Sandy and Lonnie Phillips, whose daughter, Jessica Ghawi, was one of 12 people killed in the 2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting. Matsch dismissed the case and ordered that Sandy and Lonnie Phillips pay $220,000 in legal costs.[6]

Many thanks to our Patrons who cover ~2/3 of our hosting bill. Please join them if you can.


References

Wikipedia.png This page imported content from Wikipedia on 08.08.2022.
Wikipedia is not affiliated with Wikispooks.   Original page source here