Robert Daniel Potter

U.S. District Judge[19]

What is Robert Daniel Potter known for?

Robert Daniel Potter, born on April 4, 1923 in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a notable alumnus of New Hanover High School. After completing his schooling, he went on to receive an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Duke University in 1947, and a Bachelor of Laws from Duke University School of Law in 1950. Potter served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1946 as a second lieutenant, and later practiced private law in Charlotte, North Carolina from 1951 to 1981.

Potter was known for his work in the judicial sector. He served as a Commissioner of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, from 1966 to 1968. Following his work as a campaign worker for Republican Senator Jesse Helms, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in 1981. He served as Chief Judge from 1984 to 1991 and assumed senior status on May 1, 1994, continuing to serve until his death on July 2, 2009.

During his tenure, Potter was involved in several high-profile cases. Nicknamed "Maximum Bob," he was known for sentencing convicted defendants to long terms at or near the maximum. He presided over the trial of televangelist Jim Bakker in 1989, sentencing him to 45 years in prison for multiple fraud and conspiracy accusations.

In 1997, in the case of Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, he ordered the termination of desegregation busing of students in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District. However, the decision was overturned by the Fourth Circuit in 2000.

You can learn more about the notable cases he presided over, like the Jim Bakker Trial and Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education.