Standing in front of the Robert H. Jackson United States Courthouse in Buffalo, (From L-R): Peggy Morgan, Jennifer Champ, James C. Johnson, Deb Pacos, Carol Drake, Tom Loftus, John Barrett, Father Moritz Fuchs, Honorable Joseph Gerace, Doug Neckers, John Anderson, Randy Sweeney, Greg Peterson (Photo courtesy of Jackson Center)

BUFFALO – A Chautauqua County country lawyer who ascended all the way to a seat on the Supreme Court has received would could be his most important recognition to date.

On Monday, more than 200 guests – including representatives of the federal and local governments, courts and legal community – gathered for the formal naming of the Robert H. Jackson Federal Courthouse in Buffalo.  The facility was named in honor of the Supreme Court Justice and U.S. Chief Prosecutor at Nuremberg who was raised in Frewsburg and got his start practicing law her in Jamestown.

The Honorable William M. Skretny, Chief U.S. District Judge for the Western District of New York, presided at the ceremony, as The Honorable Richard J. Arcara welcomed the attendees.

According to Greg Peterson, Jackson Center co-founder, the effort to name the courthouse for Jackson had its beginning in March 2008, with an editorial comment in the Buffalo News that suggested the new federal courthouse be named for the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

Peterson thanked several supporters, including former State Assemblyman Rolland Kidder, former Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundine, Jackson scholar John Q. Barrett and Congressman Brian Higgins – who each helped to ensure the courthouse would be named in honor of Jackson.