John Cochran Nicoll

John Cochran Nicoll (October 7, 1793 – November 16, 1863) was a United States federal judge.

Biography

Born in Savannah, Georgia, Nicoll attended the Tapping Reeve Law School in Litchfield, Connecticut. He entered private practice in Savannah, and was that city's recorder of judgments. He served as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. He was a Solicitor, Eastern Circuit of Georgia from 1821 to 1822. He was a judge, first on the City Court of Savannah from 1824 to 1834, then on the Superior Court for the Eastern Circuit of Georgia until 1835, and again on the City Court of Savannah from 1835 to 1838. He also served for a time as mayor of Savannah.

On May 11, 1839, received a recess appointment from President Martin Van Buren to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Georgia vacated by Jeremiah Cuyler. Formally nominated on January 23, 1840, Nicoll was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 17, 1840, and received his commission the same day. On August 11, 1848, the District of Georgia was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts. Nicoll was reassigned by operation of law to both Districts, and remained the sole federal judge for the state of Georgia for the duration of his service. He resigned on January 19, 1861, siding with the Confederate States during the American Civil War.

He was a district attorney in Georgia for the Confederate States of America from 1861 until his death, in 1863 in Savannah.

References

• John Cochran Nicoll at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Jeremiah La Touche Cuyler	Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Georgia 1840–1848	Succeeded by seat abolished
Preceded by new seat	Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia 1848–1861	Succeeded by John Erskine
Preceded by new seat	Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia 1848–1861	Succeeded by John Erskine