He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 8, 1902, and received his commission the same day. On or about April 29, 1920, President Woodrow Wilson certified Ray involuntarily as disabled in accordance with the act of February 25, 1919, , which entitled the President to appoint an additional judge for the court and provided that no successor to the judge certified as disabled be appointed.
On December 8, 1902, he was confirmed by the United States Senate and received his commission on the same day. On or about April 29, 1920, President Woodrow Wilson officially declared Ray involuntarily disabled under a law passed in February 1919, which allowed the president to appoint another judge for the court and prohibited appointing someone else if the previous judge was certified as disabled.