He was in the United States Army during World War II, from 1940 to 1941 and from 1943 to 1946 and became a technician fifth grade.
McNichols was a law clerk to Washington Supreme Court Justice Edward Schaellenback in 1952.
[4] McNichols was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on November 6, 1979, to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, to a new seat created earlier that year by 92 Stat.
He served in that capacity for twenty months, until his death from lung cancer in Spokane on December 20, 1992.
[8][9] During his investiture to the federal bench in January 1980, the elder swore the younger in.