Senior U.S. District Court Judge Charles Lovell died in Helena today at the age of 93.
Lovell presided over many prominent legal cases during his 36 years on the federal bench in the District of Montana.
He was the first federal judge to overturn a law mandating background checks on people who wanted to purchase handguns.
In 1996 Lovell issued a search warrant for the Unabomber’s property near Lincoln. He would also preside over Ted Kaczynski’s first few court appearances.
According to a press release from Montana District Court, Lovell’s legal career started in Great Falls following his graduation from the University of Montana School of Law. He was in private practice from 1959-1985. He later served as the Chief Counsel for the Office of the Montana Attorney General in Helena.
During that time, he served as the chief counsel for the Office of the Montana Attorney General in Helena.
Judge Lovell was nominated by President Ronald Reagan and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1985.