<p>Retired U.S. District Court Judge J. Robert Elliott, the nation's oldest federal district judge when he ended his 38-year career in 2000, died Tuesday. He was 96.</p><p>Elliott was a 52-year-old lawyer when he was nominated for a District Court post by President John F. Kennedy. He was confirmed without objection and was sworn in on March 15, 1962.</p><p>He presided over cases ranging from desgregation rulings to overturning of the conviction of a U.S. Army lietenant accused of massacring 102 people during Vietnam. Elliott was the first Colombus attorney and the first Emory University graduate to be a federal judge.</p><p>He was born in Gainesville, Ga., on Jan. 1, 1910. He graduated from Emory in 1930 and taught school in Columbus so that he could save money for his law degree, which he received from Emory in 1934.</p><p>After two years of practicing law, he was elected to the state House of Representatives, eventually chairing the powerful House Appropriations Committee. He joined the U.S. Navy when World War II broke out, serving in the Pacific.</p><p>He was known for his dry wit and calm, even tone. He wore a porkpie hat to lunch most days, and puffed on cigars.</p><p>"He taught you how to try cases with a sense of duty and a sense of honor," said Columbus attorney Bill Norwood, who tried more jury cases in front of Elliott than any other attorney.</p><p>During one trial, a lawyer approached the bench to ask the judge to wake up a sleeping juror.</p><p>"You put him to sleep _ you wake him up," Elliott replied.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cd9fec)</p>
