{ "id": "epjq3jxnfv", "slug": "harvey-bartle-iii", "title": "Harvey Bartle III", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "label": "Surnames A to Bi", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames A to Bi", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "label": "Surnames A to Bi", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Harvey Bartle III, born 1941, is a senior United States district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1991.", "snippet": "Harvey Bartle III, born 1941, is a senior United States district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1991.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "markdown": "# Harvey Bartle III\n\nHarvey Bartle III (born 1941) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the [United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court-for-the-eastern-district-of-pennsylvania) since 2011.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) He was appointed to the court by President George H.W. Bush in 1991 and served as its chief judge from 2006 to 2011.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) He assumed senior status on October 1, 2011.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) |\n| Appointed by | George H.W. Bush[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) |\n| Confirmed | September 12, 1991, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) |\n| Senior status | October 1, 2011[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) |\n| Born | 1941 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) |\n| Education | B.A., Princeton University, 1962; LL.B., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1965[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nBartle was born in 1941 in [Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/bryn-mawr-pennsylvania).[2](https://www.paed.uscourts.gov/sites/paed/files/documents/procedures/barpol.pdf) He graduated cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in 1962 and received his LL.B. cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1965.[2](https://www.paed.uscourts.gov/sites/paed/files/documents/procedures/barpol.pdf) He was admitted to the [Supreme Court of Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/supreme-court-of-pennsylvania) in 1965.[2](https://www.paed.uscourts.gov/sites/paed/files/documents/procedures/barpol.pdf)\n\n## Legal career\n\nFrom 1965 to 1967, Bartle served as a law clerk to Judge John Morgan Davis of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.[2](https://www.paed.uscourts.gov/sites/paed/files/documents/procedures/barpol.pdf) He served as a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1966 to 1972.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) He then entered private practice in Philadelphia, where he practiced from 1967 to 1979.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521)\n\nIn 1979, Bartle became insurance commissioner of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, serving until 1980, and then served as attorney general of Pennsylvania from 1980 to 1981.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) He returned to private practice at Dechert Price & Rhoads and remained in practice in Philadelphia from 1981 until 1991.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) • [2](https://www.paed.uscourts.gov/sites/paed/files/documents/procedures/barpol.pdf)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident George H.W. Bush nominated Bartle to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on May 15, 1991.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on September 12, 1991, and he received his commission on September 16, 1991.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) He served as chief judge of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2011.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) He assumed senior status on October 1, 2011.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521) From 2008 to 2011, he was a member of the [Judicial Conference of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/judicial-conference-of-the-united-states).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nIn December 2016, Bartle sentenced former U.S. Congressman [Chaka Fattah](https://www.edgepedia.org/chaka-fattah) to 10 years in prison for racketeering and corruption.[3](https://www.bigtrial.net/2016/12/judge-sets-hearing-on-inky-motion-to.html) After the sentencing, Philadelphia Media Network, which owns [The Philadelphia Inquirer](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-philadelphia-inquirer), filed a motion to intervene in the case to obtain records relating to Bartle's dismissal of Juror No. 12, who was dismissed after being accused of refusing to deliberate; Bartle scheduled a hearing on the motion to unseal the transcript of the hearing he had conducted with the juror before dismissing him.[3](https://www.bigtrial.net/2016/12/judge-sets-hearing-on-inky-motion-to.html)\n\nAmong his employment and benefits rulings, Bartle awarded $814,000 to a Verizon engineer who was laid off at age 56 after taking medical leave.[4](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/employee-benefits/know-your-judge-harvey-bartle-iii) In September of the year of that report, he joined a panel of appellate judges ruling that a [Morgan Stanley](https://www.edgepedia.org/morgan-stanley) worker did not have to reimburse First Unum Life Insurance Co. for $36,598 in disability benefits the insurer said were paid in error.[4](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/employee-benefits/know-your-judge-harvey-bartle-iii)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Harvey Bartle, III](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377521)\n2. [Standing Orders of Judge Harvey Bartle III](https://www.paed.uscourts.gov/sites/paed/files/documents/procedures/barpol.pdf)\n3. [Judge Harvey Bartle III Sets Hearing On Philly Inquirer Motion To Unseal Transcript Involving Judge's Dismissal Of Juror No. 12](https://www.bigtrial.net/2016/12/judge-sets-hearing-on-inky-motion-to.html)\n4. [Know Your Judge: Harvey Bartle III](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/employee-benefits/know-your-judge-harvey-bartle-iii)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames A to Bi*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/harvey-bartle-iii", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/harvey-bartle-iii.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Harvey Bartle III\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/harvey-bartle-iii. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Harvey Bartle III](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvey-bartle-iii)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/harvey-bartle-iii](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvey-bartle-iii). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Harvey Bartle III\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/harvey-bartle-iii. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Harvey Bartle III, born 1941, is a senior United States district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1991." }