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Judicial Reform Sixth Circuit Judges
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Judges for the United States Court of Appeals: 6th Circuit
R. Guy Cole Jr. Chief Judge
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on June 29, 1995, to a seat vacated by Nathaniel Raphael Jones. Confirmed by the Senate on December 22, 1995, and received commission on December 26, 1995. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Southern District of Ohio, 1987-1993
Education: Tufts University, B.A., 1972; Yale Law School, J.D., 1975
Professional Career: Private practice, Columbus, Ohio, 1975-1978, 1980-1986, 1993-1995; Trial attorney, Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, U.S. Department of Justice, 1978-1980
Alice Moore Batchelder
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio. Nominated by Ronald Reagan on February 28, 1985, to a new seat authorized by 98 Stat. 333. Confirmed by the Senate on April 3, 1985, and received commission on April 4, 1985. Service terminated on January 4, 1992, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on June 12, 1991, to a seat vacated by Frederick Pierce Lively. Confirmed by the Senate on November 27, 1991, and received commission on December 2, 1991. Served as chief judge, 2009-present. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Ohio, 1983-1985.
Education: Ohio Wesleyan University, B.A., 1964; University of Akron School of Law, J.D., 1971; University of Virginia School of Law, LL.M., 1988
Professional Career: Private practice, Medina, Ohio, 1971-1983
Bernice Bouie Donald
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee. Nominated by William J. Clinton on December 7, 1995, to a seat vacated by Odell Horton. Confirmed by the Senate on December 22, 1995, and received commission on December 26, 1995. Service terminated on September 8, 2011, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on January 5, 2011, to a seat vacated by Ronald Lee Gilman. Confirmed by the Senate on September 6, 2011, and received commission on September 8, 2011. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Western District of Tennessee, 1988-1995.
Education: Memphis State University (now University of Memphis), B.A., 1974; Memphis State Univ. College of Law (now Univ. of Memphis, Humphreys Sch. of Law), J.D., 1979
Professional Career: Private practice, Memphis, Tennessee, 1979-1980; Staff attorney, Employment Law & Economic Development Unit, Memphis [Tennessee] Area Legal Services, 1980; Assistant public defender, Shelby County, Tennessee, 1980-82; Adjunct professor, Shelby State Community College, 1981-1984; Judge, Tennessee General Sessions Criminal Court, 1982-1988; Adjunct professor, University of Memphis School of Law, 1985-1988
Danny Julian Boggs
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on January 29, 1986, to a new seat authorized by 98 Stat. 333. Confirmed by the Senate on March 3, 1986, and received commission on March 25, 1986. Served as chief judge, 2003-2009.
Education: Harvard College, A.B., 1965; University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1968
Professional Career: Instructor, University of Chicago Law School, 1968-1969; Deputy commissioner, Kentucky Department for Economic Security, Frankfort, Kentucky, 1969-1970; Legal counsel/administrative assistant, Gov. Louie Nunn, Kentucky, 1970-1971; Legislative counsel/assistant to minority leader, Kentucky State House of Representatives, 1972; Attorney, Kentucky Republican Campaign, 1972; Private practice, Frankfort, Kentucky, 1973; Attorney, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1973; Assistant to the solicitor general, U.S. Department of Justice, 1973-1975; Private practice, Bowling Green, Kentucky, 1975; Assistant to the chairman, Federal Power Commission, 1975-1977; Deputy minority counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 1977-1979; Deputy campaign director, Nunn for Governor campaign, Louisville, Kentucky, 1979; Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1979-1981; Special assistant to the president, Executive Office of the President, 1981-1983;Deputy secretary of energy, 1983-1986
David William McKeague
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan Nominated by George H.W. Bush on September 11, 1991, to a seat vacated by Douglas Woodruff Hillman. Confirmed by the Senate on February 6, 1992, and received commission on February 10, 1992. Service terminated on June 13, 2005, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on February 14, 2005, to a seat vacated by Richard Suhrheinrich. Confirmed by the Senate on June 9, 2005, and received commission on June 10, 2005.
Education: University of Michigan, B.A., 1968; University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1971
Professional Career: U.S. Army Reserve, 1969-1975; Private practice, Lansing, Michigan, 1971-1992; Adjunct professor, Michigan State University College of Law, 1998-2013
Deborah L. Cook
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on January 7, 2003, to a seat vacated by Alan E. Norris. Confirmed by the Senate on May 5, 2003, and received commission on May 7, 2003.
Education: University of Akron, B.A., 1974; University of Akron School of Law, J.D., 1978
Professional Career: Private practice, Akron, Ohio, 1978-1991; Judge, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Ninth Appellate District, 1991-1995; Justice, Supreme Court of Ohio, 1995-2003
Eric L. Clay
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on January 7, 1997, to a seat vacated by Ralph B. Guy, Jr.. Confirmed by the Senate on July 31, 1997, and received commission on August 1, 1997.
Education: University of North Carolina, B.A., 1969; Yale Law School, J.D., 1972
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Damon J. Keith, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 1972-1973; Private practice, Detroit, Michigan, 1973-1997
Helene N. White
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on April 15, 2008, to a seat vacated by Susan Bieke Neilson. Confirmed by the Senate on June 24, 2008, and received commission on August 8, 2008.
Education: Barnard College, A.B., 1975; University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D., 1978
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Charles L. Levin, Michigan Supreme Court, 1978-1980; Judge, Michigan District Court, Thirty-Sixth Judicial District, 1981-1983; Judge, Michigan Circuit Court, Third Judicial Circuit, 1983-1993; Judge, Michigan Court of Appeals, 1993-2008
Jane Branstetter Stranch
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on August 6, 2009, to a seat vacated by Martha Craig Daughtrey. Confirmed by the Senate on September 13, 2010, and received commission on September 15, 2010.
Education: Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1975; Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 1978
Professional Career: Private practice, Nashville, Tennessee, 1978-2010
Jeffrey S. Sutton
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on January 7, 2003, to a seat vacated by David A. Nelson. Confirmed by the Senate on April 29, 2003, and received commission on May 5, 2003.
Education: Williams College, B.A., 1983; Ohio State University College of Law, LL.B., 1990
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Thomas Meskill, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1990-1991; Law clerk, Hon. Lewis Powell and Antonin Scalia, Supreme Court of the United States, 1991-1992; Private practice, Columbus, Ohio, 1992-1995, 1998-2003; Adjunct professor of law, Ohio State University College of Law, 1994-; Solicitor, State of Ohio, 1995-1998
John M. Rogers
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on December 19, 2001, to a seat vacated by Eugene E. Siler, Jr. Confirmed by the Senate on November 14, 2002, and received commission on November 26, 2002.
Education: Stanford University, B.A., 1970; University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1974
Professional Career: U.S. Army Reserve, 1970-1998; Appellate lawyer, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1974-1978; Professor of law, University of Kentucky College of Law, 1978-2002
Julia Smith Gibbons
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee. Nominated by Ronald Reagan on April 12, 1983, to a seat vacated by Harry W. Wellford. Confirmed by the Senate on June 6, 1983, and received commission on June 7, 1983. Served as chief judge, 1994- 2000. Service terminated on August 2, 2002, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on October 9, 2001, to a seat vacated by Gilbert S. Merritt. Confirmed by the Senate on July 29, 2002, and received commission on July 31, 2002.
Education: Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1972; University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1975
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. William E. Miller, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 1975-1976; Private practice, Memphis, Tennessee, 1976-1979; Legal advisor, Gov. Lamar Alexander, Tennessee, 1979-1981; Judge, Tennessee Circuit Court, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, Division VI, 1981-1983
Karen Nelson Moore
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Nominated on January 24, 1995, to a seat vacated by Robert B. Krupansky. Confirmed by the Senate on March 24, 1995, and received commission on March 24, 1995.
Education: Radcliffe College, A.B., 1970; Harvard Law School, J.D., 1973
Professional Career: Instructor, International Tax Law Program, Harvard Law School, 1972-1973; Law clerk, Hon. Malcolm Wilkey, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 1973-74; Law clerk, Hon. Harry Blackmun, Supreme Court of the United States, 1974-1975; Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1975-1977; Faculty, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, 1977-1995; assistant professor, 1977-1980; associate professor, 1980-1982; professor of law, 1982-1995; Visiting professor, Harvard Law School, 1990-1991
Raymond M. Kethledge
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Nominated on March 19, 2008, to a seat vacated by James L. Ryan. Confirmed by the Senate on June 24, 2008, and received commission on July 7, 2008.
Education: University of Michigan, B.A., 1989; University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1993
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Ralph B. Guy, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 1993-1994; Private practice, Michigan, 1994, 1998-2001, 2002-2008; Judiciary counsel, U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham, Michigan, 1995-1997; Law clerk, Hon. Anthony Kennedy, Supreme Court of the United States, 1997-1998; Counsel, Ford Motor Company, 2001-2002
Richard Allen Griffin
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Nominated on February 14, 2005, to a seat vacated by Damon J. Keith. Confirmed by the Senate on June 9, 2005, and received commission on June 10, 2005.
Education: Western Michigan University, Honors College, B.A., 1973; University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1977
Professional Career: Private practice, Traverse City, Michigan, 1977-1988; Judge, Michigan Court of Appeals, 1989-2005