Judge Louis C. Bechtle. Courtesy photoJudge Louis C. Bechtle: An American Jurist Who Relied on Common Sense, Sound Judgment and Fairness
Concluding a remarkable 97-year life of dedicated professional service, former U.S. Attorney and Chief Judge Emeritus of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania passed away on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024.
January 07, 2025 at 01:01 PM
5 minute read
Concluding a remarkable 97-year life of dedicated professional service, former U.S. Attorney and Chief Judge Emeritus of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania passed away on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024.
By any measure, Judge Bechtle’s life was extraordinary. Born in Germantown, where he was raised with his late brother Perry Bechtle, also a distinguished Philadelphia trial lawyer, Judge Bechtle joined the Merchant Marines during World War II while only 17 years old, and later served in the U.S. Army during the post-war occupation of Japan. After several very successful years as an assistant United States Attorney and then a lawyer in private practice, the Temple University and Law School graduate was appointed to serve as U.S. Attorney in 1969. In that role, he oversaw substantial increases in manpower and the sophistication of the cases prosecuted by that office. By 1972 he was tapped by President Richard Nixon to take a seat on the federal bench.
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View All
Superior Court Directs Western Pa. Judge to Recuse From Case Over Business Ties to Defendant
3 minute read
Saxton & Stump Lands Newly Retired Ex-Chief Judge From Middle District of Pa.
3 minute read
'Discordant Dots': Why Phila. Zantac Judge Rejected Bid for His Recusal
3 minute read
Samuel M. Lehrer, Retired Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge, Dies
1 minute readTrending Stories
- 1With AI, What Changes Can Midsize Firms Expect?
- 2Saul Ewing Loses Two Partners to Fox Rothschild, Marking Four Fla. Partner Exits in Last 13 Months
- 3Eagles or Chiefs? At These Law Firms, Super Bowl Sunday Gets Complicated
- 4Former NY City Hall Official Tied to Adams Corruption Probe to Plead Guilty
- 5Wilmer, White & Case, Crowell Among the Latest to Add DC Lateral Partners
Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250
