Seybourn Harris Lynne

Seybourn Harris Lynne (July 25, 1907 – September 10, 2000) was a United States federal judge.

Early life and career

Born in Decatur, Alabama, Lynne received a B.S. from Alabama Polytechnic Institute in 1927 and an LL.B. from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1930. He was in private practice in Decatur from 1930 to 1934.

Judicial service

Lynne was a county judge for Morgan County Court in Decatur from 1934 to 1941, and a judge on the Eight Judicial Circuit of Alabama from 1941 to 1942. He was in the United States Army, JAG Corps during World War II, from 1942 to 1946.

On December 14, 1945, Lynne was nominated by President Harry S. Truman to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama vacated by Thomas A. Murphree. Lynne was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 20, 1945, and received his commission on January 3, 1946. He served as chief judge from 1953 to 1973, assuming senior status on January 9, 1973, and serving in that capacity until his death, in 2000, in Birmingham, Alabama.

During his time on the bench, he judged in many important civil rights cases, including the case allowing Vivian Malone Jones and James Hood to enter the University of Alabama, ending segregation at that institution.