Laughlin Edward Waters Sr.
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
In office July 6, 1986 – June 3, 2002
Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
In office May 12, 1976 – July 6, 1986
Appointed by	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Jesse William Curtis Jr.
Succeeded by	Ronald S. W. Lew
United States Attorney for the Central District of California
In office July 31, 1953 – April 27, 1961
President	Dwight D. Eisenhower John F. Kennedy
Preceded by	Walter Binns
Succeeded by	Francis C. Whelan
Member of the California State Assembly from the 58th district
In office January 6, 1947 – July 30, 1953
Preceded by	Frank J. Waters Jr.
Succeeded by	Joseph C. Shell
Personal details
Born	Laughlin Edward Waters (1914-08-16)August 16, 1914 Los Angeles, California
Died	June 3, 2002(2002-06-03) (aged 87) Los Angeles, California
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Voula (m. 1953)
Children	5
Education	University of California, Los Angeles (AB) University of Southern California (JD)
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Battles/wars	World War II

Laughlin Edward Waters Sr. (August 16, 1914 – June 3, 2002) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Waters received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1939 and was in the United States Army Infantry during World War II, from 1942 to 1945, achieving the rank of captain.^[1] A statue of him was erected in a French town his troops liberated, and he was mentioned in Stephen Ambrose's Citizen Soldiers.^[2] He was a deputy attorney general of the State of California from 1946 to 1947, receiving a Juris Doctor from the USC Gould School of Law in 1947. He was in private practice in Los Angeles from 1947 to 1953. He was a Republican member of the California State Assembly for the 58th district from 1947 to 1953.^[3] He was United States Attorney for the Southern District of California from 1953 to 1961, returning to private practice in Los Angeles from 1961 to 1976.^[1]

On April 26, 1976, Waters was nominated by President Gerald Ford to a seat on the United States District Court for the Central District of California vacated by Judge Jesse William Curtis Jr. Waters was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 11, 1976, and received his commission on May 12, 1976.^[1] He assumed senior status on July 6, 1986, serving in that capacity until his death on June 3, 2002, in Los Angeles.^[4]

• Laughlin Edward Waters Sr. at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Laughlin E. Waters, Oral history interview, conducted 1987 by Carlos Vasquez for California State Archives State Government Oral History Program.

• Join California Laughlin E. Waters