Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr.

Stephen Nathaniel Limbaugh Sr. (born November 17, 1927) is a former United States District Judge who held concurrent appointments to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri from 1983 until his retirement in 2008. He was appointed by president Ronald Reagan in the early 1980s after a distinguished career as a trial lawyer in Missouri. Like his father Rush Limbaugh Sr. before him, Limbaugh served as president of the Missouri Bar from 1982 to his appointment to the bench.[1] His son, Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr., is currently a federal judge for the Eastern District of Missouri.[2]

Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr.
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
In office May 1, 1996 – July 31, 2008
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
In office July 19, 1983 – May 1, 1996
Appointed by	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Harris Kenneth Wangelin
Succeeded by	Rodney W. Sippel
Personal details
Born	Stephen Nathaniel Limbaugh November 17, 1927 Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Education	Southeast Missouri State University (B.A.) University of Missouri School of Law (J.D.)
Military service
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1946-1948

Life and career

Limbaugh was born and raised in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the son of Beulah Maude (Seebaugh) and Rush Hudson Limbaugh. He first became interested in the field of law. He served in the United States Navy for eighteen months from 1946 to 1948.[1][3] He earned a B.A. in history from Southeast Missouri State University in 1950 and a J.D. from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1951.[1] He immediately went to work for his father's law firm where he did real estate and title work.[4] From 1955 to 1958 he served as prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County. Subsequently, he was the part-time City attorney of Cape Girardeau, Missouri from 1964 to 1968, while also working in his family law firm, in the same town.[3]

After retirement from the federal bench, Limbaugh went to work as senior counsel for the law firm of Armstrong Teasdale in St. Louis, Missouri.[5] He also worked as a mediator.[1] He is an uncle of radio commentator Rush Limbaugh. In 2019, Limbaugh returned to Cape Girardeau and resumed working with the law firm that still bears his father's name.

Federal District Court service

On June 7, 1983, President Reagan nominated Limbaugh to serve as a United States District concurrently on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, succeeding Judge Kenneth Wangelin. He was confirmed by the Senate on July 18, 1983 and received his commission on July 19, 1983. He took senior status on May 1, 1996 and was succeeded by Rodney W. Sippel. He retired on July 31, 2008.[3]

Selected judicial opinions

• National Football League v. McBee & Brunos, 621 F.Supp. 880 (E.D. Mo. 1985), affirmed as modified 792 F.2d 726 (8th Cir. 1986) (copyright satellite interception)
• Peabody Holding Co., Inc. v. Costain Group, PLC, 808 F.Supp. 1425 (E.D. Mo. 1992), 812 F.Supp. 1402 (E.D. Mo. 1993) (contracts Australian coal mines)
• Interactive Digital Software Association v. St. Louis County, 200 F. Supp. 2d 1126 (E.D. Mo. 2002), reversed 329 F.3d 954 (8th Cir. 2003) (video games and free speech protection)[6][7]
• In Re American Milling Company, 270 F.Supp.2d 1068 (E.D. Mo. 2003), aff'd 409 F.3d 1005 (8th Cir. 2005) (admiralty)
• Washington University v. Catalona, 437 F.Supp2d 985 (E.D. Mo. 2006), aff'd 490 F3d 667 (8th Cir. 2007), cert denied 128 S.Ct. 1122 (2008) (ownership of tissue donated by patients for research)

References

1. "Judge Stephen Limbaugh Sr. (former) Arbitrator & Mediator". Federal Arbitration. Archived from the original on 24 August 2015.
2. Stephen Nathaniel Limbaugh at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
3. Stephen Nathaniel Limbaugh at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
4. Boman, Dennis K. (2012). The Original Rush Limbaugh: Lawyer, Legislator, and Civil Libertarian. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-8262-1980-0.
5. "Stephen N. Limbaugh, Sr., Senior Counsel". Armstrong Teasdale. Archived from the original on 24 August 2015.
6. "Federal Courts at Odds: Should Minors Have Access to Violent Video Games?". Division for Public Education, American Bar Association. Archived from the original on 24 August 2015.
7. Jenkins, Henry (2004). "Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked". The Video Game Revolution. KCTS Television (Public Broadcasting Service). Archived from the original on 26 August 2004.

External links

• "Limbaughs are Cape Girardeau's own 'first family'". Southeast Missourian. 3 October 2004. Archived from the original on 8 November 2004.
• "Stephen Limbaugh honored with Good Scout Award". Southeast Missourian. 25 April 2014. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015.