Background
Becker, William Henry was born on August 26, 1909 in Brookhaven, Mississippi, United States. Son of William Henry and Verna (Lilly) Becker.
Becker, William Henry was born on August 26, 1909 in Brookhaven, Mississippi, United States. Son of William Henry and Verna (Lilly) Becker.
Student, Whitworth College, 1926-1927; student, Louisiana State University, 1927-1928; Bachelor of Laws, U. Missouri, 1932.
Associate, Clark, Boggs, Cave & Peterson, Columbia, Missouri, 1932-1936;
associate, Clark & Becker, Columbia, 1936-1944, 46-61;
judge, United States District Court (western district) Missouri, since 1961;
chief judge, United States District Court (western district) Missouri, 1965-1977;
senior judge, United States District Court (western district) Missouri, since 1977;
judge, United States Temporary Emergency Court Appeals, since 1977;
special master, Supreme Court of the United States, 1979-1983. Counsel to Governor Lloyd Stark in Kansas City Criminal Investigation, 1938-1939, Judge Allen C. Southern, 1939, Governor Forrest C. Donnell, 1941-1942. Special assistant to director economics stabilization Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion, Washington, 1945-1946.
Special commissioner Missouri Supreme Court, 1954-1958. Special counsel Missouri Insurance Department, 1936-1944. Chairman Missouri Supreme Court Committee toDraft Rules of Civil Procedure for Missouri, 1952-1959, member coordinating committee for multiple litigation, 1962-1968, vice chairman, 1967-1968.
Commission on operation of jury system, chairman subcommittee drafting Jury Selection and Svc. Act, 1968; member judicial panel on multidist. litigation Judicial Conference United States, 1968-1977, member commission on operation of jury system, 1966-1968. Faculty Federal Judicial Center seminars and workshops for United States District judges, 1968081.
Lieutenant with United States Navy, 1944-1945, PTO. With Reserve 1944-1952. Fellow American Bar Foundation, American College Trial Lawyers, American College Probate Counsel.
Member American Bar Association, American Judicature Society, Federal Bar Association (award 1977), Missouri Bar Association, Kansas City Bar Association (special award 1977), Lawyers Association Kansas City (Charles Evans Whittaker award 1977).
Married Geneva Moreton, June 9, 1932. Children: Frances Becker Mills, Patricia Becker Hawkins, Nancy Becker Hewes, Geneva Becker Jacks, William Henry III.