Bernard Thomas Moynahan Jr.

Bernard Thomas Moynahan Jr. (December 29, 1918 – September 30, 1999) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Education and career

Born in Akron, Ohio, Moynahan received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from the University of Kentucky in 1935, and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1938.

Moynahan was a prodigy, he graduated "High School at age 13" then graduated from the "University of Kentucky's College of Arts and Sciences at age 16." Moynahan graduated from the University of Kentucky "College of Law at 19 - all with honors."

After serving as "county attorney ...for seven years, Moynahan" was appointed the "United States attorney in 1961-62." He later was appointed "as a U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky." Moynahan "was sworn in November 22, 1963, two hours before the assassination of the man who appointed him - President John Kennedy."

Federal judicial service

On September 16, 1963, Moynahan was nominated by President John F. Kennedy to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky vacated by Judge Hiram Church Ford. Moynahan was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 4, 1963, and received his commission on November 8, 1963. He served as Chief Judge from 1969 to 1984, assuming senior status on September 30, 1984. Moynahan served in that capacity until his death on September 30, 1999, in Lexington. Moynahan added this example. "Consider a coal miner, old, broken down from years of hard work. He files a state claim for workman's compensation, a black lung case and social security claim in federal court. That's one man with three cases going, one in state court and two in federal" court. In that same Portrait, the Judge said that "He regards voting as a privilege and obligation." ""I've voted in every election, save one . . . I missed that when I was a prisoner of war."