Background
Debevoise, Dickinson Richards was born on April 23, 1924 in Orange, New Jersey, United States. Son of Elliott and Josephine (Richards) Debevoise.
Debevoise, Dickinson Richards was born on April 23, 1924 in Orange, New Jersey, United States. Son of Elliott and Josephine (Richards) Debevoise.
Bachelor, Williams College, 1948. Bachelor of Laws, Columbia University, 1951.
Debevoise was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on February 23, 1978, and confirmed by the United States Senate on October 31, 1979. He served on the committee that revised the general (ie, local) rules of the district court in 1984. He was on senior status beginning May 1, 1994.
His former chambers are located in the Martin Luther King, Junior., United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Newark, New Jersey.
Prior to his appointment to the bench, he was in private practice in Newark, New Jersey, from 1953-1979. Debovoise presided over the arraignment of Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski in 1996.
He served as a Sergeant in the United States Army during World World War II, where he participated in Doctorate-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and occupation of Berlin. He later went on to serve as a lieutenant during the Korean War.
Trustee Ramapo College, New Jersey, 1969-1973, chairman board, 1971-1973. Trustee Williams College, 1969-1974, Fund for New Jersey, since 1985. Trustee Hospital Center at Orange, New Jersey, vice president, 1975-1979.
Trustee, vice president New Jersey Institute Social Justice, 2002-2008. President Democrats for Good Government, 1956-1960, active various presidential, senatorial, gubernatorial campaigns. Active St. Stephens Episcopal Church Sergeant United States Army, World War II, 1st lieutenant Korean War.
Fellow American Bar Foundation. Member American Bar Association, New Jersey Bar Association, Federal Bar Association (vice president 1976), Association Federal Bar State New Jersey (vice president 1977-1979), Essex County Bar Association (treasurer 1960-1964, trustee 1968-1971), American Law Institute, Judicature Society, Columbia Law School Association (board directors, president 1992-1994).
Married Katrina Stephenson Leeb, February 24, 1951. Children: Kate, Josephine Debevoise Davies, Mary Debevoise Rennie, Abigail D. Boozan.
