Background
Van Pelt was born in Gosper County, Nebraska.
Van Pelt was born in Gosper County, Nebraska.
He received an Bachelor of Arts from Doane College in Crete, Nebraska in 1920 and an Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law in 1922. He was an assistant United States. Attorney of District of Nebraska from 1930 to 1934, and an instructor at the Nebraska College of Law from 1946 to 1957. In 1923, Van Pelt"s law firm was that of Stewart, Perry, Stewart, and Van Pelt.
In 1930, Van Pelt left this firm and went into practice with Lloyd J. Marti, who eventually became mayor of Lincoln, North-East from 1943-1947.
He was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 11, 1957, and received his commission on June 13, 1957. He assumed senior status on May 5, 1970.
While on the Federal bench, he served on the committee that drafted the Federal Rules of Evidence and was named Special Master by the Supreme Court for four boundary disputes (Texas v. Louisiana, 426 United States. 465 (1976), California v.
Nevada, 447 United States. 125 (1980), Ohio v.
Kentucky, 444 United States. 335 (1980), and Kentucky v. Indiana, 474 United States. 1 (1976)).