By JAMES FINK
jfink@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1611

The quest to have the just-opened U.S. federal courthouse named after Frewsburg native and former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson has cleared a major hurdle.

Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, on Dec. 2 formally filed legislation in Washington to have the $137 million, 10-story building named after Jackson. Higgins, along with Rep. Kathy Hochul and Chief U.S. District Judge William Skretny, will take part in a Jackson-naming push on Dec. 3 in front of the courthouse. They will be joined by other leaders including Buffalo attorney Francis Letro, a New York State Trial Lawyers Association board member, and Arthur Russ Jr., Bar Association of Erie County president.

While Jackson appears to be the front-runner for having his name on the courthouse, others are pushing for William Donovan, the Buffalo native who helped form the CIA, or war hero Lt. Col. Matt Urban.

Higgins' measure must be approved by Congress and the U.S. Senate. New York's senior senator, Charles Schumer, on Nov. 28, told Business First that he is "still weighing his options" when it comes to the name on the courthouse.