Benjamin R. Civiletti

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Benjamin Civiletti (2009)

Benjamin Richard Civiletti (born July 17, 1935 in Peekskill , New York ) is an American lawyer, Democratic politician and former Attorney General .

Studies and professional career

Civiletti first studied psychology at Johns Hopkins University , where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (AB) . He then completed a law degree at the University of Maryland , which he completed in 1961 with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.). In the same year he obtained the degree of Juris Doctor there . He was then admitted to the Maryland bar and was initially assistant to a district court judge for a year. Between September 1962 and October 1964 he was assistant to the US District Attorney of Maryland.

From 1964 to 1968, he worked as a lawyer with Venable LLP in Baltimore and Washington, DC , where he became a partner in 1969. In 1965 he was also admitted to the bar at the United States Supreme Court . In 1971 he became head of the law firm's litigation department. Ten years later he was appointed senior partner of the law firm Venable, Baetjer and Howard and his name was added as the fourth name in the firm's designation.

As a specialist in commercial law , he was the first US lawyer to pay an hourly fee of $ 1,000 in 2005 .

Advance to Attorney General under President Carter

After Jimmy Carter was elected US president , he was appointed assistant to the attorney general and head of the crime department on March 10, 1977. On May 16, 1978 he was appointed Deputy Attorney General to succeed Peter F. Flaherty , who ran for governor in Pennsylvania . He held this office until his appointment as Attorney General as the successor to Griffin B. Bell on August 16, 1979.

His appointment took place as part of a major cabinet reshuffle, which also included changes in the Ministry of Finance , the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Health, Education and Welfare , which was divided into two independent ministries.

US recording of the 52 hostages in January 1981

As attorney general, he represented the US government in several significant cases. In particular, Civiletti was a representative before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague during the hostage-taking of Tehran in the US embassy in Iran . However, the hostages were not released until the day Carter's successor as President, Ronald Reagan , took office on January 20, 1981. He was also a representative before the Supreme Court in cases of disfranchisement for Nazi war criminals .

In 1980 and 1981, he issued two legal opinions on a strict interpretation of the Antideficiency Act , which continues to shape government shutdown practice to this day.

He served as Attorney General until the end of Carter's presidency on January 19, 1981.

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personal data
SURNAME Civiletti, Benjamin R.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Civiletti, Benjamin Richard (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American lawyer and politician
DATE OF BIRTH July 17, 1935
PLACE OF BIRTH Peekskill , New York