Ada Brown (judge) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ada Brown
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas | |
| Assumed office September 13, 2019 |
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| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Terry R. Means |
| Associate Justice of the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas | |
| In office September 3, 2013 – September 13, 2019 |
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| Appointed by | Rick Perry |
| Succeeded by | David W. Evans |
| Judge of the Dallas County District Court | |
| In office 2005–2007 |
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| Appointed by | Rick Perry |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ada Elene Brown
November 8, 1974 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Nationality | American Choctaw Nation |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Spelman College (BA) Emory University (JD) Duke University (LLM) |
Ada Elene Brown, born on November 8, 1974, is a Native American lawyer and judge. She works as a federal judge for the Northern District of Texas. President Donald Trump chose her for this important role in 2019.
Before becoming a federal judge, she was a trial judge in Dallas County and a Justice on the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas. Ada Brown made history as the first Native American and African-American woman to be nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate for a federal judge position.
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Ada Brown's Early Life and Education
Ada Brown was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on November 8, 1974. She was a top student in high school, graduating as the valedictorian of her class. She was also elected class president during her sophomore and junior years.
In 1996, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with high honors from Spelman College. She then went on to study law at Emory University School of Law, where she received her law degree in 1999. Later in her career, she continued her education and earned a Master of Laws degree from Duke University School of Law.
Ada Brown's Legal Career
Ada Brown has had a varied and impressive career in law. She has worked as a prosecutor, a civil lawyer, and a commissioner for law enforcement.
Working as a Criminal Lawyer
Ada Brown started her legal career as a prosecutor at the Dallas County District Attorney's Office. In this role, she handled many jury trials, leading over 100 cases. She became a felony trial prosecutor, working on serious cases. She was known for handling difficult and complex cases. She also specialized in prosecuting internet crimes against children.
In 2005, a magazine called Super Lawyers recognized her as a "Rising Star" in criminal prosecution. This honor was given to only a small percentage of lawyers under 40. After her time as a prosecutor, Ada Brown became a district court judge.
Working as a Civil Lawyer
After serving as a trial judge, Ada Brown worked as a civil lawyer at a firm called McKool Smith in Dallas, Texas. Her work there focused on business disputes and cases involving patent infringement, which means protecting inventions. She helped clients in cases that involved large sums of money.
Helping with Law Enforcement
Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed Ada Brown to serve as a Commissioner for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. This agency is in charge of licensing all police officers in Texas.
Governor Perry later appointed her as a Commissioner for the Texas Department of Public Safety. In this role, she was one of five people overseeing a large budget and many employees. This included the famous Texas Ranger Division and all state troopers in the Texas Highway Patrol.
Ada Brown's Judicial Career
Ada Brown has served as a judge at both the state and federal levels, making important decisions in many cases.
State Judicial Service
Ada Brown first served as a trial judge in the Dallas County Criminal District Court. This was before she worked as a private civil lawyer.
On September 3, 2013, Governor Rick Perry appointed her to be a Justice on the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas. She worked there for six years, reviewing over 1,500 civil and criminal appeals. She left this position when she was appointed to her current role as a federal judge.
Federal Judicial Service
On March 15, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his plan to nominate Ada Brown as a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Her nomination was officially sent to the Senate on March 26, 2019. She was nominated to fill the position left by Judge Terry R. Means.
On April 30, 2019, a hearing about her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. On June 13, 2019, the committee voted 18–4 to approve her nomination. On July 30, 2019, the United States Senate voted 79–9 to move forward with her nomination. Finally, on September 11, 2019, the Senate confirmed her nomination with an 80–13 vote. She officially became a judge on September 13, 2019.
Important Court Cases
On August 21, 2024, Judge Brown made a ruling in a case called Ryan, LLC v. FTC. She decided that a proposed rule by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to ban noncompete agreements was not legal. Noncompete agreements are contracts that stop someone from working for a competitor after leaving a job. Judge Brown ruled that the FTC's ban was "arbitrary and capricious" and that the FTC had gone beyond its legal authority.
Ada Brown's Memberships
Ada Brown is a member of several organizations. She belongs to the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Mayflower Society. She is also a member of the Federalist Society, a group of conservatives and libertarians interested in law. While at Spelman College, she joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She is also a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
See also
