Raymond L. Finch | |
Office: | Senior Judge of the District Court of the Virgin Islands |
Term Start: | August 15, 2008 |
Term End: | August 22, 2018 |
Office1: | Chief Judge of the District Court of the Virgin Islands |
Term Start1: | 1999 |
Term End1: | 2005 |
Predecessor1: | Thomas K. Moore |
Successor1: | Curtis V. Gómez |
Office2: | Judge of the District Court of the Virgin Islands |
Nominator2: | Bill Clinton George W. Bush |
Term Start2: | September 1, 1994 |
Term End2: | August 15, 2008 |
Predecessor2: | David V. O'Brien |
Successor2: | Wilma A. Lewis |
Office3: | Judge of the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands |
Nominator3: | Cyril King |
Term Start3: | 1976 |
Term End3: | 1994 |
Birth Date: | 4 October 1940 |
Education: | Howard University (BA, LLB) |
Raymond Lawrence Finch (October 4, 1940 – February 23, 2023[1]) was an American judge. He served as a judge of the District Court of the Virgin Islands from 1994 to 2018.
Finch was born on Saint Croix, in Christiansted, the son of Wilfred C. and Beryl Finch.[2] [3] He graduated from Christiansted High School in 1958, Howard University with a B.A. in Political Science in 1962, and Howard University School of Law with an LL.B. in 1965.[2] [3]
He served as law clerk to Alexander Farrelly and Antonio L. Joseph of the Municipal Court of the Virgin Islands. He served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1966 to 1969, first as a first lieutenant, then as a captain, earning a Bronze Star Medal. He then joined the law firm of Hodge & Sheen, and was admitted to the Virgin Islands Bar in 1970. He became a partner in the firm of Hodge, Sheen, Finch & Ross the following year. He was appointed by Governor Cyril King as a judge of the Municipal Court in 1976. He served on the court, which was renamed the Territorial Court the following year, until 1994.[3]
Finch was nominated to the District Court of the Virgin Islands by George H. W. Bush on June 19, 1992. His nomination expired later that year.[4] On March 22, 1994, he was nominated to the same court by Bill Clinton, and he was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 6, 1994.[5] He was sworn in on September 1, 1994, and served as the Chief Judge of the District Court from 1999 to 2005.[3] As his 10-year term was expiring, Finch was renominated to the same court by George W. Bush on February 2, 2004, and was confirmed by the Senate on November 21, 2004.[6] He assumed senior status on August 15, 2008.[7] He ended his judicial service on August 22, 2018.[1]
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