{ "id": "epz9cfj50q", "slug": "samuel-r-cummings", "title": "Samuel R. Cummings", "updated": "2026-09-29", "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-c", "label": "Surnames C", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames C", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "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-c", "label": "Surnames C", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Samuel R. Cummings, born 1944, is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge for the Northern District of Texas, appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1987.", "snippet": "Samuel R. Cummings, born 1944, is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge for the Northern District of Texas, appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1987.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "markdown": "# Samuel R. Cummings\n\nSamuel Ray Cummings (born 1944) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas since taking senior status on December 31, 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) He was appointed to the court by President Ronald Reagan in 1987.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) Before assuming senior status, he served 27 years in active service, presiding over the Lubbock, Abilene, and San Angelo divisions of the court.[2](https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/local/2014/07/11/judge-cummings-announces-move-senior-status-will-hear-fewer-cases/15032576007/)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) |\n| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) |\n| Confirmed | December 8, 1987, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) |\n| Senior status | December 31, 2014[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) |\n| Born | 1944 in Lubbock, Texas[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) |\n| Education | B.B.A., Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University), 1967; J.D., Baylor University School of Law, 1970[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nCummings was born in [Lubbock, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/lubbock-texas), in 1944 and is the youngest of twin boys.[3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Cummings-Hon-Sam-R-aspx-1.pdf) He was active in the Boy Scouts as a youth; under his scoutmaster, Sam Henry, all 30 members of his troop earned the rank of Eagle Scout, and Cummings remained active in Scouting for decades afterward, serving as a member of the board of the Boy Scouts of America South Plains Council.[3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Cummings-Hon-Sam-R-aspx-1.pdf)\n\nHe received a B.B.A. from Texas Technological College, now [Texas Tech University](https://www.edgepedia.org/texas-tech-university), in 1967, and a J.D. from Baylor University School of Law in 1970.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) In 2007, Baylor Law School named him Lawyer of the Year.[2](https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/local/2014/07/11/judge-cummings-announces-move-senior-status-will-hear-fewer-cases/15032576007/)\n\n## Legal career\n\nCummings practiced law in [Amarillo, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/amarillo-texas), from 1970 to 1987.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) He joined the firm Culton, Morgan, Britain & White, becoming a partner after four years; litigation became his largest area of practice, and he became board certified in civil trial law.[2](https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/local/2014/07/11/judge-cummings-announces-move-senior-status-will-hear-fewer-cases/15032576007/) • [3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Cummings-Hon-Sam-R-aspx-1.pdf) He has encouraged less experienced attorneys to \"seek advice from lawyers who have more experience than you\" as the best way to develop legal skills.[3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Cummings-Hon-Sam-R-aspx-1.pdf)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [Ronald Reagan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronald-reagan) nominated Cummings to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas on July 31, 1987.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on December 8, 1987, and he received his commission on December 9, 1987.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661) He had served nearly 27 years as a district judge when he announced in July 2014 that he would take senior status, hearing cases on a reduced basis thereafter, and completed 27 years of active service when his senior status took effect.[2](https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/local/2014/07/11/judge-cummings-announces-move-senior-status-will-hear-fewer-cases/15032576007/) His senior status took effect on December 31, 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661)\n\nDuring his service, Cummings was a member of the court's local rules and court operations committees, chaired the jury utilization committee, and served as the court's representative on the Fifth Circuit Judicial Council.[2](https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/local/2014/07/11/judge-cummings-announces-move-senior-status-will-hear-fewer-cases/15032576007/)\n\n## Notable cases\n\n**United States v. Emerson.** Cummings has described United States v. Emerson as his most memorable case.[3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Cummings-Hon-Sam-R-aspx-1.pdf) He has stated that he views himself as an agenda-neutral judge with the goal of interpreting the law, and the case is connected to the later Supreme Court decisions in the Heller and McDonald litigation.[3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Cummings-Hon-Sam-R-aspx-1.pdf)\n\n**Second Amendment handgun-sale challenges.** Cummings ruled against Second Amendment challenges to the federal law banning the sale of handguns by federally licensed dealers to 18-to-20-year-olds, but that ruling's basis was overruled when, in Reese v. [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives](https://www.edgepedia.org/bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives) (5th Cir. Jan. 30, 2025), the Fifth Circuit held that 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(b)(1) and (c)(1) violate the Second Amendment.[4](https://www.ndtexblog.com/category/judge-cummings/) On October 25, 2012, the Fifth Circuit upheld his decision rejecting the [National Rifle Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-rifle-association)'s attempt to invalidate that law.[4](https://www.ndtexblog.com/category/judge-cummings/)\n\n**Hunn v. Dan Wilson Homes.** On January 29, 2014, Cummings issued an order with findings of fact and conclusions of law resolving the parties' claims and defenses, including a finding in favor of the defendants on the plaintiff's copyright infringement claim.[4](https://www.ndtexblog.com/category/judge-cummings/)\n\n**Medshare Technologies, Inc. v. Commonwealth Capital Corp.** In 2016, as a senior judge, Cummings issued an order in this case addressing motions to strike, for a more definite statement, and to dismiss for failure to state a claim, which drew attention as an example of the importance of following the court's local rules.[4](https://www.ndtexblog.com/category/judge-cummings/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Samuel Ray Cummings](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379661)\n2. [Judge Cummings announces move to 'senior status,' will hear fewer cases](https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/local/2014/07/11/judge-cummings-announces-move-senior-status-will-hear-fewer-cases/15032576007/)\n3. [The Federal Lawyer: Judge Sam R. Cummings](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Cummings-Hon-Sam-R-aspx-1.pdf)\n4. [Judge Cummings (Ret.) | Northern District of Texas Blog](https://www.ndtexblog.com/category/judge-cummings/)\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 C*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 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/samuel-r-cummings", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-r-cummings.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": "\"Samuel R. Cummings\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-r-cummings. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Samuel R. Cummings](https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-r-cummings)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-r-cummings](https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-r-cummings). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Samuel R. Cummings\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-r-cummings. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Samuel R. Cummings, born 1944, is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge for the Northern District of Texas, appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1987." }