Born in Bangor, Maine, Curran received a Bachelor of Laws from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in 1927 and an Artium Baccalaureus degree from the University of Maine in 1928.

He was in private practice in Washington, D.C. from 1928 to 1934, and was an assistant corporation counsel for the District of Columbia from 1934 to 1936.

[1] Curran received a recess appointment from President Harry S. Truman on October 16, 1946, to an Associate Justice seat on the District Court of the United States for the District of Columbia (Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia after June 25, 1948) vacated by Judge Daniel William O`Donoghue.

[1] Curran presided over the trial of Mildred Gillars (aka Axis Sally) for treason in 1949.

[citation needed] Gillars was coincidentally also born in Maine (Portland).