Judge Kim R. Gibson (1948-2025)
I had the honor of clerking for Judge Kim R. Gibson in the Western District of Pennsylvania from 2009-2011. This was the most formative experience of my career. In that brief tie, I learned so much about the law, being a lawyer, and life. Judge Gibson passed away today at the age of 77. My co-clerk Adele and I were fortunate enough to visit the Judge a few weeks ago, and it was a moment I will always treasure.
The Western District of Pennsylvania shared this obituary of Judge Gibson, which I am happy to pass on:
Judge Kim Gibson has passed away in Somerset, PA. Kim had turned 77 yesterday.
Kim devoted his entire adult life to serving his country and his neighbors. Born in Trenton, NJ, Kim entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1966, graduating with his Bachelor of Science degree in 1970. Upon being commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army, Kim took one of the hardest paths possible, completing both Airborne and Ranger training before serving as an Armor Officer, on active duty in that assignment until 1975. Kim’s service in the Army on active and Reserve duty extended for 26 years, and he retired as a Colonel in the Judge Advocate General Corps in 1996.
Kim attended the Dickinson School of Law, graduating magna cum laude in 1975, where he served as an editor of the Dickinson Law Review. He was a graduate of the Judge Advocate General School at the University of Virginia, and remained on active duty in the Army JAG Corps until 1978. He was recalled to active duty during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
While Kim was in solo practice in Somerset PA, he served as the Public Defender, as the Solicitor for the Somerset School District, as counsel to the Office of Children and Youth Services and as the Solicitor for Somerset County. In 1997, he was elected by the voters of Somerset County to the Court of Common Pleas, serving in that role until joining the federal bench in September, 2003. While a state court judge, Kim established a Juvenile Drug Court, one of the first in the Commonwealth. Kim came to our Court upon his nomination by President George W. Bush, and served as a District Judge beginning in 2003. He moved to senior status in 2016, but that shift was more theoretical than actual, as he continued to handle a full and active case load until his final illness. While a Judge of our Court, Kim was called upon by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. to serve as a member of the Judicial Conference’s Court Administration and Case Management Committee, the committee that sits at the crossroads of all of the work of the federal courts. Kim was an Adjunct Professor of Law at th
Article from Reason.com
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