NEW ORLEANS — The American flag flew at half-staff in front of the federal courthouse in New Orleans.
It was lowered in honor of Judge Martin Feldman who passed away Wednesday night of a heart attack at Touro Hospital.
Fellow Judge Lance Africk called Feldman a principled and well-respected judge who was always prepared to tackle whatever issue was before him.
“For those of us who were fortunate to try cases in front of him, he absolutely made you the best lawyer that you could be because you knew you had to be well prepared,” Africk said.
Feldman earned his law degree at Tulane University in 1957.
The life-long republican was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to serve on the court in 1983.
The silver-haired and bow-tied jurist earned a reputation as a stickler for courtroom decorum and for keeping a full case load well into his 80s.
New Orleans attorney Buddy Lemann tried many cases before the judge.
“He was a very interesting person; a very good judge and I think he’s going to be dearly missed by all of us in the legal system,” Lemann said.
Over the years, Feldman took an increasingly skeptical view of what he described as “government overreach.”
He was the presiding judge in the ongoing tax fraud case against Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams.
The judge recently dealt a blow to the prosecution by limiting the evidence they could show a jury of the DA’s tax troubles.
“He was in many respects a strict constitutionalist, but for a change, he applied that against the government as well as against the defendants, Lemann said. “Marty may very well be the very last liberal republican in the United States. They don’t make them like that anymore.”
Judge Africk says Feldman’s opinions were always consistent with the law and facts regardless of their popularity.
“He was a delight to be with as he was brilliant, he was quick witted and he had a wicked sense of humor,” Africk said. “He’s going to be sorely missed by all of us.”
Judge Feldman was the second longest serving active federal judge in the country. He would have turned 88 on Friday.
"Judge Feldman has had a long, distinguished and honorable career as a lawyer and as a jurist," said U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Chief Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown.
"He willingly shared his knowledge and experience mentoring every new district judge appointed to this court. Sitting alongside him on the bench, while he was training you was a rite of passage for new judges," she added.
"Once you earned his love and respect, he always supported you and was there for you," she continued. "He will be so deeply and sorely missed. However, he leaves a long legacy of accomplishments and friendships," she concluded.
Funeral arrangements were not available at this time.
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