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Senior U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo, who presided over courtrooms in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for years, passed away Wednesday morning.
He was 81.
Caputo’s death was announced by Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner in a memorandum on Wednesday.
“Judge Caputo was a ‘judge’s judge’ — a strong, direct, impartial and erudite jurist — who instinctively knew how to cut to the heart of complex legal issues, prompting their resolution,” Conner said.
Conner said Caputo made “extraordinary contributions” to not only the Wilkes-Barre area but to the nation itself.
“Our district will be forever honored by Judge Caputo’s distinguished service, and he has bestowed upon our court a truly memorable legacy,” Conner went on. “We extend our thoughts and prayers to the Caputo family at this time.”
Caputo was a graduate of Brown University, before going on to study at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He worked in private practice in Wilkes-Barre, before serving in the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps.
Caputo later went on to work as an assistant public defender in Luzerne County in 1968, then returned to private practice in Kingston until 1997.
Caputo was nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1997 to serve in the seat that was vacated by Richard Conaboy, who passed away in 2018.
In 2009, Caputo assumed senior status.
Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan