John Winslow Bissell

John Winslow Bissell (born June 7, 1940) is an American judge and attorney who served as a Judge for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey from 1982-2005. He served as Chief Judge of the Court from 2001-2005.

Early life

Born in Exeter, New Hampshire, Bissell graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1958 and received his bachelor's degree in History from Princeton University in 1962. He then went on to earn an LL.B. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1965.

Career

Following graduation from law school, Bissell served as law clerk to Judge Arthur Stephen Lane of the District of New Jersey from 1965 to 1966.

After his clerkship, Bissell entered private practice in Morristown, New Jersey from 1966 to 1969 before serving as an Assistant United States Attorney at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey from 1969-1971. He then returned to private practice from 1972 to 1978 before serving as Judge in the Essex County, New Jersey District Court from 1978 to 1981, and of the Superior Court of New Jersey from 1981 to 1982.

On November 23, 1982, President Ronald Reagan nominated Bissell to serve on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, to a seat vacated by Vincent P. Biunno. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 10, 1982 and received his commission the same day. He served as a Judge on that Court from until 2005, including a term as Chief Judge from 2001 to 2005. He retired on September 1, 2005, and returned to private practice, joining Connell Foley.

Sources

• John Winslow Bissell at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.