William C. Micou

William Chatfield Micou (January 11, 1807 - April 16, 1854) was a lawyer and unsuccessful nominee to the United States Supreme Court.

Micou was born in Augusta, Georgia on January 11, 1807, the son of William Micou (1774-1834) and Martha Ann Chatfield (1788-1856). He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1825.

Micou studied law, was admitted to the bar, practiced in Augusta, and also served as Augusta's postmaster. He later moved to New Orleans, Louisiana and continued to practice law, joining the firm of Judah P. Benjamin in the late 1840s.

In February 1853 President Millard Fillmore, a Whig, nominated Micou to fill the United States Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of Justice John McKinley. Fillmore had tried three times previously to fill the vacancy, but the Senate did not act on the nomination of Edward A. Bradford, George Edmund Badger's nomination was tabled by the Senate, and Benjamin, who had been elected to the Senate for a term beginning on March 4, was confirmed, but declined the position. Benjamin then recommended Micou to Fillmore, who concurred and sent the nomination to the Senate.

Micou's nomination was not acted upon by the Democratic-led Senate as it was late in the session and Franklin Pierce also a Democrat, was scheduled to succeed Fillmore as President on March 4, so not acting on Micou's nomination would give Pierce the opportunity to submit a nomination of his own. Pierce nominated John Archibald Campbell on March 21, and Campbell was confirmed by the Senate on March 25.

Micou was already in poor health at the time of his nomination and died in New Orleans on April 16, 1854 from an unspecified brain disease thought to have resulted from overwork. He was buried at Live Oak Cemetery in Pass Christian, Mississippi.