Judge Eugene Hamilton passed away on Saturday, November 19, 2011. He was 78 years old. Judge Hamilton served as Chief Judge of the DC Superior Court from 1993 to 2000. The judge was known not only for his intellect and leadership, but also for his commitment to foster children, as he and his wife opened their home to numerous children over the years.

"He was a man of many talents, who led our court during the crucial years of revitalization," said Chief Judge Lee Satterfield. "His commitment to the children of DC was evident in his final days, as he ruled on a case involving a child abandoned at Children's National Medical Center, ensuring he got the treatment he needs."

Judge Hamilton was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1933. He attended public schools in Memphis, LeMoyne College and then the University of Illinois, where he received both his B.A. and L.L.B. degrees.

After receiving his law degree, Judge Hamilton served on active duty in the United States Army as a Judge Advocate General Officer. Following his military service, he joined the Civil Division of the US Department of Justice, as a trial attorney and worked there until his appointment to the D.C. Superior Court in 1970.

Judge Hamilton served in all of the various divisions of the Superior Court and was a member of the D.C. Courts' Joint Committee for Judicial Administration - the governing body of the courts, from 1991 to 2000. In 1993, Judge Hamilton was designated as Chief Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, becoming the second African American to hold that office. He served as Chief Judge until the fall of 2000.

For the next 15 months, Judge Hamilton served as Chairman of the Mayor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Youth Safety and Juvenile Justice Reform. The Commission published its Report on November 6, 2001.

Judge Hamilton was a former member of the Executive Committee of the National Conference of State Trial Judges of the Judicial Administration Division of the American Bar Association. He has served as the former Chairperson of the Continuing Legal Education Advisory Board, Georgetown University Law Center, and was on the faculty at the Harvard Law School as a Lecturer on Law.

Judge Hamilton is the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Law Degree from the David A. Clarke District of Columbia School of Law. He was active in the American, Washington and National Bar Associations.

Judge Hamilton is the recipient of many awards and recognition’s, including the United Black Fund’s Calvin W. Rolark 2000 Humanitarian Award, the University of Illinois’ Liberal Arts and Sciences’ Alumni Award, the Washington Bar Association’s Charles Hamilton Houston Medallion of Merit, and the Greater Washington Urban League, Whitney M. Young, Jr. Community Service Award.