Charles Schwartz, Jr., who was appointment to the federal bench by President Gerald Ford in 1976, served as a United States District Judge until he retired from the bench in 2001. He died on November 3, 2012, at the age of 90.

Judge Schwartz was born in New Orleans and graduated from Fortier High School. In 1943, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tulane University, where he was Phi Beta Kappa. During World War II, Judge Schwartz served in the Philippines as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. After the war, he attended Tulane Law School, where he served on the law review. Judge Schwartz graduated from Tulane Law School in 1947, with the distinction of Order of the Coif. Judge Schwartz continued his military service in the United States Army Reserves until 1966, when he retired, having attained the rank of Major.

Judge Schwartz was in private practice from 1947 until 1976. He began his legal career at Guste, Barnett & Redmann, and in 1969 he co-founded the firm Little, Schwartz & Dussom. During his time in private practice, he represented many individuals and commercial clients and served as district counsel for the Gulf Coast District of the United States Maritime Administration.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford appointed Judge Schwartz to the bench of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, where he served until his retainment in 2001. In 1991, Chief Justice William Rehnquist appointed Judge Schwartz to the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in Washington, D.C., where he oversaw requests for surveillance warrants against suspected foreign intelligence agents operating inside the United States.

Judge Schwartz was also involved with many charitable, civic, and educational organizations. He served on the Boards and was President and Treasurer of the Greater New Orleans Area Unit of the American Cancer Society; the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans; and the United Cancer Counsel of America. For over twenty years, he volunteered at Tulane Law School, where he was an Adjunct Professor teaching federal civil procedure. He was also on the Boards of the United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area, Touro Foundation, and Metairie Park Country Day School.

Excerpts taken from the memorial to Judge Schwartz published in The Advocate, Winter Edition 2013, Vol. 22, No. 2.