[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 200 (Wednesday, December 19, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REMEMBERING WILLIAM J. NEALON

 Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the life and 
career of U.S. District Court Judge William J. Nealon.
  Appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of 
Pennsylvania by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, Judge Nealon became 
the longest serving Federal District Court judge in U.S. history on 
August 28, 2018.
  Born and raised in Scranton, PA, Judge Nealon attended Miami 
University until he put his education on hold to join the Marine Corps 
during World War II. He served his country from 1942 to 1945, and when 
he returned, he earned his bachelor's degree from Villanova University 
and his law degree from Catholic University.
  Judge Nealon distinguished himself early on in the practice of law. 
In 1960, less than a decade after joining the Pennsylvania bar, he was 
appointed to the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas, the youngest 
such judge in the Commonwealth. Less than 3 years later, on December 
13, 1962, President Kennedy appointed him to the U.S. District Court 
for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and Judge Nealon became the 
youngest Federal District Court judge in the country. He went on to 
serve in this role for over 55 years.
  Judge Nealon was a brilliant jurist, committed to fairness and 
``equal justice under law'' in every case for every party who appeared 
in his courtroom. He will be remembered for his work ethic and 
commitment to his family. In addition to leaving behind a legacy of 
judicial and community service, Judge Nealon is survived by his wife of 
70 years, Jean, 5 of their 10 children, 30 grandchildren, 26 great-
grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
  The Federal courthouse in Scranton, which bears his name, will ensure 
that his decades of service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and our 
country will continue to inspire new generations of public 
servants.

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