Dick Wong

Dick Yin Wong (1920-1978) was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.

Wong was nominated by President Gerald Ford on March 17, 1975, to a seat vacated by Martin Pence; he was confirmed by the Senate on April 24, 1975, and received commission the next day. He served the District of Hawaii until his death on December 26, 1978.

Wong became the first Asian American to serve a federal district court when he was appointed in 1975.^[1] Wong was succeeded in this position by Walter Heen.

Early life and education

• University of Hawaii, B.A., 1942
• University of Hawaii, M.A., 1944
• Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1950

Professional career

• U.S. Army Staff Sergeant, 1945-1947
• Accountant, Chicago, Illinois, 1947-1949
• Private practice, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1950-1951
• Accountant, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1951-1961
• Private practice, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1960-1961
• Judge, Hawaii Tax Appeal Court, 1960-1968
• Private practice, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1962-1968
• Accountant, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1962-1968
• Judge, First Circuit Court of Hawaii, 1968-1973
• Private practice, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1973-1975

Judicial nominations and appointments

District of Hawaii

Wong was nominated by President Gerald Ford on March 17, 1975, to a seat vacated by Martin Pence; he was confirmed by the Senate on April 24, 1975, and received commission the next day. He served the District of Hawaii until his death on December 26, 1978.

Wong became the first Asian American to serve a federal district court when he was appointed in 1975.^[2] Wong was succeeded in this position by Walter Heen.

External links

• Wong's Biography from the Federal Judicial Center

Footnotes

v • e Federal judges who have served the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
Active judges	Chief Judge: Derrick Kahala Watson   •  Leslie Kobayashi  •  Jill Otake  •  Micah Smith (Hawaii)
Senior judges	Helen Gillmor  •  Alan Kay (Hawaii)  •  David Alan Ezra  •  Susan Oki Mollway  •  John Seabright  •
Magistrate judges	Rom A. Trader  •  Kenneth J. Mansfield  •  Wes Reber Porter  •
Former Article III judges	Samuel King  •  Martin Pence  •  Harold Fong (Hawaii)  •  Walter Heen  •  Cyrus Tavares  •  Dick Wong  •
Former Chief judges	Helen Gillmor  •  Samuel King  •  Alan Kay (Hawaii)  •  David Alan Ezra  •  Martin Pence  •  Harold Fong (Hawaii)  •  Cyrus Tavares  •

v • e Federal judges nominated by Gerald Ford
1974	Bauer • Bramwell • Cahn • Churchill • Clarke • Cook • Elfvin • Fitzgerald • Flaum • Gerry • Kirkland • Sessions • Torruella • Graafeiland
1975	Brimmer • Brotman • Grady • Haden • Henley • Higginbotham • Kennedy • Leighton • McNagny • Meskill • O'Conor • Rogers • Shell • Siler • Stafford • Stevens • Thompson • Tjoflat • Wong
1976	Ackerman • Anderson • Aronovitz • Broderick • Callister • Cohill • Copenhaver • Crowley • Davis • Fay • Goettel • Guy • Haight • Hall • Hill • Ingram • Manos • Munson • Poole • Pratt • Richey • Schwartz • Schwarzer • Sear • Sterling • Takasugi • Waters • Williams • Wood