[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 55 (Friday, March 24, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E690-E691]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  TRIBUTE TO JUDGE WILLIAM E. STECKLER

                                 ______


                        HON. ANDREW JACOBS, JR.

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 24, 1995
  Mr. JACOBS. Mr. Speaker, at the time of his death, Federal District 
Judge William E. Steckler was one of only six living Federal jurists 
appointed by President Harry Truman. As the following editorial from 
the Indianapolis News says, he served and endured a very long period on 
the Federal bench.
  He will be missed.
              [From the Indianapolis News, Mar. 10, 1995]

                          William E. Steckler

       Many years ago a woman brought her young child along when 
     she had some business in the courtroom of Federal Judge 
     William E. Steckler.
       After walking up the marble spiral staircase in the Federal 
     Courthouse Building, they passed through an elaborate iron 
     gate and then entered the towering courtroom with its 
     beautiful stained glass windows, sculpted gold-leaf ceiling, 
     velvet curtains, walnut pews and fresco wall murals. Upon 
     entering this architectural splendor, the youngster tugged at 
     his mother's hand, pulled her down to him and whispered 
     nervously in her ear, ``Are we here to see God?''
       Steckler, who presided in that elaborate courtroom since 
     being named a federal judge for the Southern District of 
     Indiana in 1950, would chuckle when he told that story.
       He appreciated the inherent humor of the tale and also was 
     aware that he was very much a fallible human being striving 
     to serve the ends of justice.
       This week Steckler passed away.
       At the time of his appointment nearly 45 years ago, 
     Steckler was only the second person to serve as a federal 
     judge in Indiana's Southern District.
       Initially, he traveled throughout the southern two-thirds 
     of Indiana by himself, trying cases in the far reaches of the 
     district--New Albany, Evansville and Terre Haute.
       During his nearly half century on the bench, Steckler tried 
     cases involving the constitutionality of Unigov, legislative 
     reapportionment, convicted Speedway bomber Brett Kimberlin, 
     the legislative influence peddling case of former Senate 
     President Pro Tem Martin K. Edwards, a patent case involving 
     procaine penicillin, a case involving the Indianapolis Public 
     Schools that set a legal precedent involving student 
     newspapers and an antitrust case involving motion picture 
     producers.
       Steckler has been credited with instituting the pretrial 
     conference as required practice in federal court, originating 
     the practice of submitting written instructions to juries and 
     developing a checklist of procedures for the trial of 
     protracted cases, which became a national model.
       He also taught courses to federal judges throughout the 
     nation on judicial etiquette and decorum.
       [[Page E691]] In 1982, Steckler stepped down as chief judge 
     of this district, at the time having served the longest 
     tenure of any active chief judge in the nation.
       He remained on the bench initially as a federal judge and 
     then as a judge of senior status.
       Over the years, many lawyers and litigants undoubtedly took 
     issue with Steckler's rulings. But most felt that he had 
     granted them their day in court, had taken great pains to 
     ensure that the judicial process worked and had agonized long 
     and hard over the decision he had rendered.
       Steckler had a full realization of the role of courts in 
     society.
       It is a legacy that he nourished and passed on to others in 
     this district.
       He will be greatly missed and long remembered.
       

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