U.S. Courts
Isaac Charles Parker (October 15, 1838 – November 17, 1896) served as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Arkansas for 21 years. He served during the western expansion of the United States and is known as the "hanging judge" of the American Old West.
Presented by the Officers and the Members of the Western District Court at Fort Smith to Judge Isaac Parker as a token of esteem, Sept. 25, 1896.
Web image of U.S. District Judge Isaac Charles Parker.
2 1/2" U.S. Judge badge, now added to the museum. One of only two I have ever seen. The other is pictured below. Most likely a one-off badge made for the Judge, as the AO issues only judges' credentials.
Web image of unmarked U.S. court crier badge, which measures 2 3/4." The Supreme Court of the United States appointed a “crier” on the second day of its opening term in February 1790. Authenticity and age unknown.
Most likely a one-off badge made for the Judge, as the AO issues only Judges’ credentials. The center seal is the "Presidential Seal," not the "Great Seal." Made by Nelson Silvia Badge Company, Houston, TX. Image donated by collector Mark Preuss.
U.S. court crier badge. The lettering was blue at one time. The Supreme Court of the United States appointed a “cryer” on the second day of its opening term in February 1790. Authenticity and age unknown.
Detail of former blue filling of letters.
Believed to be a fake. Marked Irvine & Jachen, but the company cannot find a record of the badge, although it is a shape they produce. The Ninth Circuit has a crier position but does not know of the existence of such a badge. Bottom panel marked "Of Court Appeals," not "Court of Appeals." Research with the Ninth Circuit Court archivist produced no results.
Curator purchase. Originally found in Chicago at an estate sale of a lifelong badge collector. Badges were sold by the man's widow. 3" tall and unmarked.
U.S. Courts Deputy Clerk. Private collector image. Used with permission.
Private collector image. Used with permission. Badge purported to be used in both the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and was made by United Insignia.
U.S. Courts Deputy Court Clerk badge. Museum purchase. Badge is 2 13/4". Unmarked.
U.S. Courts Process Server badge. Museum purchase. Badge is 3 1/8". Marked Blackinton.
Museum purchase of United States Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) badge. ALJs serve as judges and triers of fact who presides over administrative hearings. They have the power to administer oaths, make rulings on evidentiary objections, and render legal and factual determinations. ALJs are appointed under the Administrative Procedure Act of 1946 (APA).
U.S. Courts Bailiff badge. Museum purchase. Badge is 1 7/8". Based upon the style and type of rear clasp, badge is believed to be from the 1930's.
Information needed!
Curator purchase from a vast collection accumulated by late Pittsburgh collector Samuel Lewis, who collected badges from the 1960s until about 2012, when he became ill. He passed away in 2015, and his widow sold the collection in 2017. In the style of the second U.S. probation and pretrial badge. 3" tall and unmarked.
4" patch. Unknown date and manufacturer.
4" patch. Unknown date and manufacturer.
Unknown date and manufacturer. 3 1/4” patch. Image courtesy of the late Raymond Sherrard.
Typical Washington DC, Metropolitan Police Special Police Officer (SPO) 5" patch. Under the MPD Special Officer SPO rules, their patches have to be 5" with big block letters. "CC" stands for "Customs Court," and "PA" stands for "Patent Appeals."
In 1982, the CCPA was abolished by the Federal Courts Improvement Act, and its jurisdiction, docket, and judges were transferred to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
From the estate of Raymond Sherrard, the godfather of federal collecting.
4" patch. Unknown date and manufacturer. Appears to be old, with a cheesecloth backing.
3 1/4" U.S. district court bullion patch. Unknown date and manufacturer
Unknown date and manufacturer. 3 1/4” patch. Image courtesy of the late Raymond Sherrard.
Web image.
Unknown date and manufacturer. 3 1/4” patch. Image courtesy of the late Raymond Sherrard.
Unknown date and manufacturer. Image courtesy of the late Raymond Sherrard.
Bullion patch dating to the early 1980s. U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Kentucky. The Court became operational in 1979. In the early 1980s, a recession affected farmers in the district. The bankruptcy court had no proactive security. Tremendous emotion was associated with proceedings, during which farmers, whose families had lived on property for generations, lost their farms and all their possessions. The court defused the tense atmosphere by having an authority figure in the courtroom. Male Bankruptcy Court staff attend the hearings, wearing a blue blazer with grey slacks. The U.S. Probation Chief saw the "CSO" attire and suggested the use of a bullion patch insert he used from Commercial Emblem. This practice continued until the CSO program was expanded and metal detectors were installed. Donation courtesy U.S. Clerk of the Court, Northern District of Georgia, (retired).
U.S. District Court. District of Arizona, 3” patch.
3" patch. Unknown date and manufacturer. Given to the U.S. Clerk of the Court, Northern District of Georgia (retired) in 1985. At that time, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO) would send new clerks to visit other courts for ideas and mentorship. One of the places visited was the Southern District of New York, and this is where the patch was presented.
3 1/2" patch. Unknown date and manufacturer.
3 3/8" patch. Unknown date and manufacturer.
Heavy 3-inch bronze medallion. U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit.
Between the eagle’s talon holding the arrows and the tail feathers, there are three initials: EZS. The medallion was designed by Edgar Zell Steever IV (1915-2006). Mr. Steever had a storied career as a designer and sculptor. Among other things, he worked for the U.S. Mint, designing currency for the United States and designing coinage for other countries. He is well known for the reverse of the 1776-1976 bicentennial quarter dollar, where he adjusted the model submitted by Jack Ahr.
Initials EZS. Medallion was designed by Edgar Zell Steever IV (1915-2006).
Found at an estate sale in the bottom of a box filled with fabric. Heavy 3" medallion commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals from 1929 to 2004 at the Judicial Conference, Deer Valley, Utah. Marked with many symbols, including the contiguous United States and Alaska, the Utah symbol of the beehive, the 2002 winter Olympic logo, a book, and the scales of justice. Item is intended as a paper weight and was given to some attendees. Manufactured by Medalcraft Mint, Inc.
2 1/2" medallion. Donation coordinated by Project Specialist Central District of California and approved by the U.S. Clerk of the Court.
2 3/8" medallion. Courtesy Chief U.S. Probation Officer, Central District of California.
2 3/4" pin from 1972. Unmarked.
2 3/4" pin from 1973. Unmarked.
2 3/4" pin from 1974. Unmarked.
2 3/4" pin from 1975. Hand marked The Lewis Co. Wash. D.C. 20001.
2 3/4" pin from 1976. Unmarked.
2 3/4" pin from 1977. Unmarked.
1 1/2" pin. Made by Creative Buttons, Kalamazoo, MI.
2 7/8" X 1 7/8" button. Marked A. Dean Watkins CO., Lansing, Michigan. The company was started in 1955.
1 1/4" pin. Unmarked.
Large 2 1/8" pin. Made by Political Creations, unknown city, Florida. From the estate of Diane McMullen Till, to whom it was issued in the Middle District of Florida in the late 1970s.
1 1/2" pin. Made by The Pengad Co., Inc., Bayonne, NJ., which was founded in 1936 by Jules and Shirley Penn. Pengad manufactures and provides legal supplies to the business community.
1 1/2" pin. Made by The Pengad Co., Inc., Bayonne, NJ., which was founded in 1936 by Jules and Shirley Penn. Pengad manufactures and provides legal supplies to the business community.
2 7/8" X 1 7/8" button. Marked A. Dean Watkins CO., Lansing, Michigan. The company was started in 1955.
1 1/4" pin. Unmarked.
1 1/4" pin. Made by A-1 Advertising Specialties, Colorado. Being researched.
1 7/16" pin. Unmarked. Donation courtesy of retired Jury Coordinator, U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan.
1 3/4" pin. Made by Creative Buttons, Kalamazoo, MI. Donation courtesy of retired Jury Coordinator, U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan.
1 1/2" pin. Made by The Pengad Co., Inc., Bayonne, New Jersey., which was founded in 1936 by Jules and Shirley Penn. Pengad manufactures and provides legal supplies to the business community. Donation courtesy of retired Jury Coordinator, U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan.
2 7/8" X 1 7/8" button. Marked A. Dean Watkins CO., Lansing, Michigan. The company was started in 1955.
1.75" wood and rubber stamp. Found by this officer in the formerly occupied U.S. District Court Clerk’s Office, Western District of Michigan, Kalamazoo office. Manufacturer and date unknown. Donated by Chief Deputy Clerk II.
Seal detail.
Inked seal stamp.
United States District Court, Southern District of New York. 7/8" pin marked "Simmonds."
1 3/8" pin. Designed by U.S. District Judge District of Hawaii. Courtesy of Chief U.S. Probation Officer (Hawaii). Marked “Union made USA."
United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. 1" pin. Unknown date and manufacturer.
1 1/2" pin. Unmarked. From the Southern District of Georgia. Given to and donated by U.S. Court Clerk, Northern District of Georgia (retired).
1" pin. Designed by Condor Creations and produced for the the Western District of Louisiana. Given to and donated by U.S. Court Clerk, Northern District of Georgia (retired). Double layer pin, with pale green enamel around the eagle.
U.S> District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania. 1" pin. Marked SRE pins, srepins.com
District of Massachusetts. 1 1/16" pin. Given to federal jurors to thank them for their service. Marked All About Pins.
1 3/4" unmarked pin. "Cogan's Clerks" refers to the clerks of U.S. District Court Judge Brian Cogan, Eastern District of New York.
3/4" pin. Donation courtesy of Special Projects Manager, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana. This style has been ordered since at least 2007 from National Custom Insignia, which did the design work. The last order was for 2,500 pins. The pins are used as tokens of appreciation for jurors, a small gift for visiting dignitaries, and for staff.
1" pin. Donation courtesy of Special Projects Manager, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana. This style was ordered in 2011 from Condor Creations in an order of 1,000. The pins are used as tokens of appreciation for jurors, a small gift for visiting dignitaries, and for staff.
Federal Court Clerks Association. Small 5/8" pin. Marked "Haltom Sterling." Home - Federal Court Clerks Association
7/8" pin. Produced by SRE Custom Pins, Burbank, CA. Donation coordinated by Project Specialist, Central District of California and approved by the U.S. Court Clerk.
3/4" pin. Donation coordinated by Project Specialist, Central District of California and approved by the U.S. Court Clerk.
1" pin. U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma.
U.S. District Court of Guam. Unmarked 1 1/16" pin. Not enameled, but likely plastic or rubber coated paper.
U.S. District Court, District of Delaware. 1" pin.
Paper coaster, Judicial conference Center, Thurgood Marshall Building, Washington D.C.
Front view of 3 1/4" glass and pewter paper weight. Made in the United States by Salisbury Fine Metal Artisans. Donation coordinated by Project Specialist, Central District of California and approved by the U.S. Court Clerk.
Profile view.
Bottom view.
Juror badge, District of Montana. Roughly 3” X 2”. Date of production or use unknown. Museum purchase 2022.
District of Columbia Juror badge. Measures 3 ¼ x 2 3/8” without the clip attachment. Museum purchase 2022.
Modern Juror badge, Western District of Michigan.
United States District Court Juror pin back button. Blue text, 2 7/8" X 1 7/8" pin back button, unmarked. Museum purchase 2023.
United States District Court Juror pin back button. Red text, 1½”, marked The Pengad Co. Inc., Bayonne, New Jersey. Company founded in 1936 by Jules and Shirley Penn. Museum purchase 2022.
United States District Court Juror pin back button. Red text, 1½”, unmarked.
Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO) 3” sticker. Date of production unknown. Likely produced by the sticker community with no real connection to the AO.
2 1/2" sticker. Information needed!
2" one-sided medallion, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Donation courtesy of Sentencing Guidelines Specialist Northern District of Illinois.
Web image of leather coaster. Age and size unknown.
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1" pin of WDNC full size badge, (see it on badge page). Manufactured by Smith & Warren, 200 pins were ordered in 2021. Donation courtesy of Location Monitoring Specialist, Western District of North Carolina.
1" pin of centennial full size badge, (see it on badge page). Manufactured by Symbol Arts, 2025.
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United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit puzzle coaster
Poker chip. U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York.
1" pin of WDNC full size badge, (see it on badge page). Manufactured by Smith & Warren, 200 pins were ordered in 2021. Donation courtesy of Location Monitoring Specialist, Western District of North Carolina.
1" pin of centennial full size badge, (see it on badge page). Manufactured by Symbol Arts, 2025.
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit puzzle coaster
1" pin of centennial full size badge, (see it on badge page). Manufactured by Symbol Arts, 2025.