Overview

Raymond Corley Fisher (July 12, 1939 – February 29, 2020) was an American jurist and public official. He served as a federal judge and held a senior post at the U.S. Department of Justice before his appointment to the federal appellate bench. Fisher was affiliated with the Democratic Party during his career in public service.

Fisher was born in Oakland, California. He pursued a career in law that included work in private practice, service in government, and legal counseling roles. Across decades he developed experience in litigation, administrative law, and federal policy, which prepared him for senior departmental responsibilities and later for the federal judiciary.

Department of Justice

From 1997 to 1999 Fisher served as United States Associate Attorney General, a senior position at the Department of Justice responsible for overseeing multiple divisions and advising on litigation and policy matters. In that capacity he helped manage federal civil litigation, directed programmatic priorities, and represented departmental views on complex legal issues at the national level.

Judicial service

In 1999 Fisher was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where he sat as a federal judge until his death in 2020. The Ninth Circuit is one of the nation's principal appellate courts, and judges there hear a wide range of constitutional, administrative, and statutory appeals. During his tenure Fisher participated in many panels and contributed opinions that addressed federal legal questions arising from diverse areas of law.

Legacy and death

Fisher died of cancer on February 29, 2020, in Sherman Oaks, California, at the age of 80. His career combined high-level Justice Department leadership with long service on the federal bench. He is remembered for his commitment to public service and for his role in shaping appellate jurisprudence in the western United States.

Selected positions

  • United States Associate Attorney General (1997–1999)
  • Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1999–2020) — Ninth Circuit
  • Experienced attorney in both government and private sectors