Collection Summary

Creator: Meador, Daniel J.
Title: The Papers of Daniel J. Meador 1959 - 1975
Accession: MSS 82-3
Description: 7 boxes
Location: Special Collections
Photograph Collection: View 4 digitized photographs
Digitized Content: 4 objects
Addenda
Use Restrictions: Some restrictions apply.

Collection Description & Arrangement

This collection comprises the professional papers of University of Virginia Law professor Daniel J. Meador from 1959 to 1975. A gift from Professor Meador, the papers were accessioned in 1982, and span a broad range of his activities both within and outside the Law School. Meador was active on many faculty committees at the Law School, including the Educational Policy, Appointments and Composition of Student Body. His files contain a large collection of faculty memoranda and minutes, as well as information concerning the library, curriculum, graduate program, grading system, and building of Phase I of North Grounds. Meador's professional activities include scholarly writings, ABA inspection reports, and the Criminal Practice Institute. There is a small amount of correspondence, chiefly concerned with his tenure as Dean of the Law School of the University of Alabama. In addition, there are note cards and files used in preparation for Meador's book cataloging the Library of United States Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black.

Biographical & Historical Information

Daniel J. Meador received his J.D. from the University of Alabama in 1951, served as a Judge Advocate General officer in Korea, and received an LL.M. from Harvard Law School in 1954. He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black, practiced law in Birmingham, Alabama, and joined the law faculty at the University of Virginia in 1957, leaving once to serve as Dean of the University of Alabama Law School from 1966 to 1970.  His courses included Federal Jurisdiction and Procedure, Constitutional Litigation, Legal Method, Federal Courts, and Federal Appellate Practice. Meador has been chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Journal of Legal Education and a member of the board of directors of the American Society for Legal History.  He served as director of UVA’s Graduate Program for Judges from 1980 to 1995.  Meador has participated in numerous projects and organizations concerned with improving the administration of justice, including the State Justice Institute, the American Judicature Society, and the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Federal Judicial Improvements.  From 1977 to 1979, Meador served as an Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice, heading a newly created Office for Improvements in the Administration of Justice.  He also served as executive director of the congressionally created Commission on Structural Alternatives for the Federal Courts of Appeals.

A recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award, the Raven Award, and the Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award, Meador retired from teaching in 1997.  He describes the challenge of balancing teaching, scholarship, and professional activities:  “Zeal for getting to the bottom of legal conundrums can so preoccupy the mind that the classroom is neglected.  I tried always to guard against this, reminding myself that for the students the classroom comes first.”  Meador is Professor Emeritus at UVA Law.

Acquisition Information

Date Received 1982
Donor Information This collection was a gift given to the Law School by Daniel J. Meador on June 30, 1982.

Content List

Box 1:

  • 1961-1974; Correspondence and memoranda re Law School. [Analysis of University of Virginia’s Honor System (1968); The Honor Committee “brief survey of the history of the Honor System “(ca. 1968-1969); "The Honor Committee" brochure to new students; "University of Virginia, An Explanation of the Honor System, Procedural Features", broadside (undated)]
  • 1961-1975; Faculty memoranda and correspondence. [DJM annual reports to dean; lists of faculty and standing committees; Report from the Graduate Committee to the faculty re AALS Special Committee on Graduate Instruction (1964); memoranda re future Center for Law, Science and Technology (1970); Report of the Ad Hoc Committee to Evaluate Proposals on Retaining a Mandatory Appellate Program (1972); VLW petition to allow one student of their staff to attend faculty meetings (1973); JBM Society of International Law newsletter (Feb. 1974); Memorandum re Joint Faculty-Student Bar Committee on Clinical Education ( Jan. 1, 1985)]
  • 1961-1975, Law School – Miscellaneous [1957-1974] Law School’s Tables of Courses and Examination, class and examination schedules and regulations, curriculum, calendars, etc.; 1960-1961 Law and Foreign Policy Seminar Syllabi; Legal Philosophy Ground Rules for Examination (1960);  1961 Federal Courts Seminar list of students; 1962 Memorandum re Law Jobs and Placement Office; DJM Report to Dean re teaching load (1963); Statement of Edgar F. Shannon Jr. before the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees, General Assembly of Virginia (20/1/1964); faculty committee assignments; Student Curriculum Committee Guide for First Year Drops-Adds (1974-1975); Summary of University Regulations affecting faculty and staff use of motor vehicles on grounds].   
  • 1960-1975, Expense Account Vouchers
  • 1977-1979,DJM Department of Justice Speeches and Testimony: “The New Mission” address before the Fourth National Symposium on Progress in Criminal Justice (4/6/1977); Statement before the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Civil Liberties and the Administration of Justice House of Representatives concerning Functions and Jurisdiction of the Office for Improvements in the Administration of Justice ( 4/21/1977); Address before the Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrations (8/2/1977); Testimony before the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Civil Liberties and the Administration of Justice concerning Legislation Concerning Jurisdiction of United States Magistrates (9/8/1977); “Selecting Federal Appellate Judges” address before The Virginia Bar Association Conference of Laymen and Lawyers (11/19/1977); Statement before the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Improvements in Judicial Machinery United States Senate concerning Diversity Jurisdiction (3/17/1978); “Judges and Advocates: Politics and Merit” address before Colorado Chapter, Federal bar Association (4/20/1978); Statement before the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Improvements in Judicial Machinery United States Senate concerning S. 83 and S. 3100 (6/20/1978); Statement before the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Civil Liberties and the Administration of Justice House of Representatives concerning Disputes Resolution Act – S. 957 (8/2/1978); “A New federal Appellate Court” at the Annual Meeting, Federal Bar Association (9/13/1978); Statement before the Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate concerning Alternatives to Litigation and Dispute resolution Act – S. 423 (2/13/1979); testimony before the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Civil Liberties and the Administration of Justice House of Representatives concerning Legislation on Federal; Diversity of Citizenship Jurisdiction and the Jurisdiction of the United States Magistrates (3/8/1979); Statement before the Committee on the Judiciary Unites States Senate concerning Federal Court Improvements Act of 1979 (3/20/19790.
  • 1960-1965, Social Function Invitations. [Includes; invitation to the dedication of a new addition to the Law School (11/4/1961); Student Legal Forum handwritten invitation to attend an address by W. Clement Eaton (3/16/1964); 56Th Annual Libel Show ticket (4/11/1964); Minor Inn of Phi Delta Phi invitation to Libel Show (3/20/1965)
  • 1974, Professors Neill H. Alford and John Ritchie Retirement Dinner – correspondence and memoranda.


Box 2:

  • 1959 – 1960, 5/59 VLR Article: Pupil Assignment
  • 1959 – 1963, 5/59 VLR Article: Reprint Requests
  • 1959, 5/59 VLR Article: Public Schools
  • 1958 – 1959, 5/59 VLR Article: School Boards
  • 1959, 5/59 VLR Article: Little Rock Case Clippings
  • 1958 – 1959, 5/59 VLR Article: Attorney’s General
  • 1964 – 1965, ABA Vanderbilt Evaluation Committee
  • 1957 – 1965, ABA Inspections
  • 1961 – 1963, ASIL
  • 1964, Southwest Law Teachers Conference
  • 1964, CPI: Search and Seizure

Box 3:

  • 1972, Academic Review Committee
  • 1970 – 1974, Admissions Committee
  • 1970 -1975, Restricted files
  • 1970 – 1976, Building Committee
  • 1970 – 1971, Building Committee

Box 4:

  • 1972, 1975, Building Committee on Furnishings and Décor
  • 1976, Center for Oceans Law and Policy
  • 1973, Center for Administrative Justice
  • 1975, Center for Advanced Studies
  • 1974, Center for Advanced Studies
  • 1973, September – November, Committee on Composition of Student Body
  • 1973, April – August, Committee on Composition of Student Body
  • 1974, Final Report, Committee on Composition of Student Body
  • 1974, Final Report, Committee on Composition of Student Body
  • n.d., Committee on Composition of Student Body

Box 5:

  • 1959 – 1970, Curriculum Committee
  • 1969 – 1976, Dean Search Committee
  • 1971, Educational Policy Committee
  • 1972, Educational Policy Committee
  • 1973, Educational Policy Committee
  • 1974 – 1976, Educational Policy Committee

Box 6:

  • 1958 – 1961, Faculty Minutes
  • 1971, Flex Exam System (EPC)
  • 1958 – 1973, Grading System
  • 1958 – 1973, Graduate Program
  • 1971 – 1975, Joint Degree Program
  • 1959 – 1961, Latin American Seminar
  • 1959 – 1974, Law Alumni
  • 1965, Law School Foundation
  • 1974, Law School Self Study
  • 1961 – 1965, Legal Methods Course
  • 1958, Legislation Course

Box 7:

  • 1960 – 1964, Law Library Committee
  • 1965 – 1976, Law Library Committee
  • 1974 – 1975, Law Librarian Search Committee
  • 1973 – 1976, Moot Court Board
  • 1973 – 1976, Part Time Students
  • 1975, Long Range Planning
  • 1974, Pictures
  • 1976, Public Occasion Committee
  • 1964 – 1973, Committee on Size of Law School
  • 1964, University Self Study
  • 1964, University Self Study
  • 1959 – 1969, Virginia Law Review

Associated People

Use Policy

Access Some restrictions apply.
Use Restrictions Some restrictions apply.
Preferred Citation

Papers of Daniel J. Meador 1959-1975, MSS 82-3, Box Number, Special Collections, University of Virginia Law School Library

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