James Marshall Sprouse

James Marshall Sprouse (December 3, 1923 – July 3, 2004) was a United States federal judge.

Born in Williamson, West Virginia, Sprouse was in the United States Army, 104th Division, during World War II from 1942 to 1945. He received an A.B. from St. Bonaventure University in 1947 and an LL.B. from Columbia Law School in 1949. He was an Assistant state attorney general of West Virginia in 1949. He was a Fulbright scholar, international law, University of Bordeaux, France in 1950. He was a Counsel, Displaced Persons Commission from 1950 to 1951. He was in private practice in West Virginia from 1951 to 1952. He was with the Central Intelligence Agency from 1952 to 1957. He was in private practice in West Virginia from 1957 to 1972. He ran for Governor of West Virginia in 1968, narrowly winning the Democratic nomination, but lost the general election to Republican congressman Arch Moore. He was a Justice, West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals from 1972 to 1975 when he resigned to make a second run for Governor, losing the Democratic primary to Jay Rockefeller. He was in private practice in West Virginia from 1975 to 1979.

Sprouse was a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Sprouse was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on July 5, 1979, to a new seat created by 92 Stat. 1629. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 11, 1979, and received his commission on September 13, 1979. He assumed senior status on October 31, 1992. Sprouse served in that capacity until July 31, 1995, due to retirement.

He died in Charleston, West Virginia.

Sources

• James Marshall Sprouse at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.