President Judge Robert Lee Jacobs was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on December 17, 1910. He attended Carlisle High School, Dickinson College, and Dickinson Law School. President Judge Jacobs served in the United States Navy as a lieutenant during World War II.
President Judge Jacobs began his career in politics, serving in the state senate from 1936 to 1940. At only 25 years old, he was the youngest person to ever be elected to the state senate. He represented Pennsylvania’s 31st district, including Cumberland, Mifflin, Perry, and Juniata Counties.
President Judge Jacobs began his judicial tenure in the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County. He served in this capacity for eight years before moving up to the Superior Court. He became President Judge of the Superior Court in 1978. This position was short-lived, though, due to his resignation on December 31, 1978. President Judge Jacobs passed away in 2006 at the age of 95.