John S. Hastings

Title

John S. Hastings

Authors

Description

John Simpson Hastings was born in Washington, Indiana, in 1898. After two years at Indiana University as an undergraduate, he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1920. He was a Lieutenant in the United States Army, Field Artillery from 1920 to 1921, before returning to Indiana University for law school where he graduated with the highest scholastic average in the class of 1924.

After law school, he returned to Washington, Indiana, to practice law in the family law firm, Hastings and Hastings, the oldest law firm in that city. In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed him to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and he became chief judge two years after his appointment. He served as chief judge until 1968. In 1969 he assumed senior status on the court and served until his death in 1977.

Judge Hastings was an active member and officer of the Indiana University Alumni Association for many years, as well as a member of the Indiana University Board of Trustees, serving as president for nine years. He was a director of the IU Foundation and named national chairman of the Law School Fund Campaign in 1964. He served on the Law School’s Board of Visitors from 1970 until his death. Hastings was inducted into the Academy of Law Alumni Fellows in 1986. In 1988 the Law School established the John S. Hastings Faculty Fellowship through memorial contributions in his name.

Keywords

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Federal Judges, Maurer Alumni, Academy of Law Alumni Fellows

Disciplines

Courts | Judges | Law | Legal Biography | Legal Profession

Files

Download Resolution in Memorial to John S. Hastings (IU School of Law Board of Visitors, 1977) (111 KB)

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John S. Hastings
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