Lee Sarokin

Lee Sarokin

---

Prior offices

United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit

---

Education

Bachelor's

Dartmouth College, 1950

Law

Harvard Law School, 1953

H. Lee Sarokin (b. 1928) was a federal judge for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.

Early life and education

• Dartmouth College, A.B., 1950
• Harvard Law School, LL.B., 1953

Professional career

• Private practice, Newark, New Jersey, 1955-1979
• Assistant counsel, Union County, New Jersey, 1959-1965

Judicial career

District of New Jersey

Sarokin was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on September 28, 1979, to a seat vacated by Lawrence Whipple; he was confirmed by the Senate on October 31, 1979, and received commission on November 2, 1979. He served the District of New Jersey until he was elevated the Third Circuit on October 5, 1994. Sarokin was succeeded in this position by Katharine Hayden.

Third Circuit

Sarokin was nominated to the Third Circuit by President Bill Clinton on May 5, 1994, to a new seat created by 104 Stat. 5089; he was confirmed by the Senate on October 4, 1994, and received commission the next day. He served the Third Circuit until his retirement on July 31, 1996.

Opposition to death penalty

Sarokin has been active in efforts to oppose the death penalty. He says, "I've always said that I cannot envision that somebody contemplating murder sits at the kitchen table and says 'I'm not going to commit a murder because I could face the death penalty, but I will if I only face life imprisonment without parole'."

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by: Lawrence Whipple	District of New Jersey 1979–1994	Succeeded by: Katharine Hayden
Preceded by: NA - new seat	Third Circuit Court of Appeals 1994–1996	Succeeded by: Maryanne Barry