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John McCarthy Roll

John McCarthy Roll

Arizona District Court

Chief Judge — U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona

Born 1947 in Pittsburgh, PA

Died 2011 in Tucson, AZ

FJC ID: 2044

John McCarthy Roll (February 8, 1947 – January 8, 2011) was a United States district judge who served on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona from 1991 until his assassination in 2011, and as chief judge of that court from 2006 to 2011. With degrees from the University of Arizona College of Law and University of Virginia School of Law, Roll began his career as a court bailiff in Arizona and became an assistant city attorney of Tucson, Arizona in 1973. Later that year, Roll became a deputy county attorney for Pima County, Arizona until 1980, when he began serving as an Assistant United States Attorney for seven years. President George H. W. Bush appointed Roll to a federal judge seat in Arizona after Roll served four years as a state judge.

Roll was killed in the 2011 Tucson shooting while attending a constituent outreach event held by U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords in Casas Adobes, near Tucson, Arizona.

Gender
Male
Race
White

Prior employment

  1. Arizona Court of Appeals, Division Two
    Judge · 1987–1991
    • presiding judge · 1988–1991
    • vice-chief judge · 1991
  2. Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County, Criminal Bench
    Judge · 1991
  3. District of Arizona
    District of Arizona
    Assistant U.S. attorney · 1980–1987
    • Organized Crime Drug Task Force · 1982–1986
    • Civil Division · 1986–1987
  4. Criminal Division, Pima County, Arizona
    Deputy county attorney · 1973–1980
  5. University of Arizona College of Law
    Clinical instructor · 1978–1979
  6. Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County
    Bailiff · 1972–1973
  7. Tucson, Arizona
    Assistant city attorney · 1973

Appointments

  1. Arizona District Court
    1991–2011 · Appointed by George H.W. Bush (Republican)
    Term ended: Death

Education

  1. University of Virginia School of Law
  2. University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law)
    J.D. · 1972
  3. University of Arizona
    B.A. · 1969