Claude Meredith Hilton (born December 8, 1940) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and heir to the Hilton hotel chain.

Claude M. Hilton
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Assumed office
December 31, 2005
Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
In office
May 19, 2000 – May 18, 2007
Appointed byWilliam Rehnquist
Preceded byJames Cacheris
Succeeded byRoger Vinson
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
In office
1997–2004
Preceded byJames C. Cacheris
Succeeded byJames R. Spencer
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
In office
July 11, 1985 – December 31, 2005
Appointed byRonald Reagan
Preceded bySeat established by 98 Stat. 333
Succeeded byLiam O'Grady
Commissioner in Chancery for the Circuit Court of Arlington County, Virginia
In office
1976–1985
Commonwealth Attorney of Arlington County, Virginia
In office
1974–1975
Personal details
Born
Claude Meredith Hilton[1]

(1940-12-08) December 8, 1940 (age 84)[2]
Scott County, Virginia, U.S.
SpouseJoretta Cabaniss[2]
EducationOhio State University (BS)
American University (JD)

Education and career

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Born in Scott County, Virginia, Hilton spent his earliest childhood largely outdoors on a farm and raised an adopted fox.[3] His family later moved to Dayton, Ohio and he eventually received a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio State University in 1963 while working as a men's clothier clerk at the Lazarus Department Store.[3]

He achieved a Juris Doctor from the Washington College of Law at American University in 1966, and married his wife Joretta.[3]

He was an assistant commonwealth's attorney of Arlington, Virginia, from 1967 to 1968. He was in private practice in Arlington from 1968 to 1973, was the Commonwealth's Attorney for Arlington County from 1974 to 1975, and returned to private practice from 1976 to 1985. He was also a commissioner in chancery for the Circuit Court of Arlington County from 1976 to 1985.[4]

Federal judicial service

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On May 15, 1985, Hilton was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 10, 1985.

Hilton served as chief judge from 1997 to 2004, assuming senior status on December 31, 2005. In May 2000, Chief Justice William Rehnquist appointed Hilton as a judge on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC). His term on the FISC expired on May 18, 2007.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Herbert, Miranda C.; McNeil, Barbara (2000). Biography and Genealogy Master Index: A Consolidated Index to More Than 3,200,000 Biographical Sketches in Over 350 Current and Retrospective Biographical Dictionaries. Gale Research Company. p. 1920. ISBN 9780787629953 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b Confirmation hearings on federal appointments : hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-ninth Congress, first session, on confirmation hearings on appointments to the federal judiciary and the Department of Justice. pt.2. S. HRG.; 99-141 PTS. 1-4. 1985. p. 18 – via Hathi Trust Digital Library.
  3. ^ a b c https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Profile_Hilton-pdf-1.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ a b "Hilton, Claude M. - Federal Judicial Center". Federal Judicial Center.
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Legal offices
Preceded by
Seat established by 98 Stat. 333
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
1985–2005
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
1997–2004
Succeeded by
Preceded by Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
2000–2007
Succeeded by