Anna Diggs Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anna Diggs Taylor
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| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan | |
| In office December 31, 1998 – November 4, 2017 |
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| Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan | |
| In office 1996–1998 |
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| Preceded by | Julian Abele Cook Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Lawrence Paul Zatkoff |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan | |
| In office November 2, 1979 – December 31, 1998 |
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| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Seat established by 92 Stat. 1629 |
| Succeeded by | Marianne Battani |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Anna Katherine Johnston
December 9, 1932 Washington, D.C. U.S. |
| Died | November 4, 2017 (aged 84) Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan U.S. |
| Spouses | Charles Diggs (1960-1971; divorced) S. Martin Taylor (m. 1976) |
| Education | Barnard College (BA) Yale Law School (LLB) |
Anna Katherine Diggs Taylor (born Johnston; December 9, 1932 – November 4, 2017) was an important judge in the United States. She served as a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She was known for her work in the legal system and for making history with some of her decisions.
Contents
Becoming a Judge: Anna Diggs Taylor's Path
Early Life and Education
Anna Katherine Johnston was born in Washington, D.C. on December 9, 1932. She was a very smart student. She went to Barnard College and earned a degree in 1954. After that, she studied law at Yale Law School, one of the best law schools in the country. She received her law degree in 1957.
Starting Her Legal Career
After finishing law school, Anna Diggs Taylor began her career as a lawyer.
- From 1957 to 1960, she worked for the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C.
- She then moved to Michigan. There, she worked as an assistant prosecutor in Wayne County from 1961 to 1962.
- In 1966, she became an Assistant United States Attorney in Detroit, Michigan.
- She also worked for U.S. Representative Charles Diggs from 1967 to 1970.
- From 1970 to 1975, she had her own law practice in Detroit.
- She also taught law at Wayne State University at different times, sharing her knowledge with new students.
- Before becoming a judge, she worked for the City of Detroit Law Department from 1975 to 1979.
Serving as a Federal Judge
Appointment to the Court
Anna Diggs Taylor was chosen by President Jimmy Carter to become a federal judge. She was nominated on May 17, 1979. The United States Senate approved her nomination on October 31, 1979. She officially became a judge on November 2, 1979. She served on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Chief Judge and Senior Status
Judge Taylor became the Chief Judge of the court in 1996. She held this important leadership role until 1998. After that, she took on a role called "senior status" on December 31, 1998. This meant she could work a reduced schedule but still hear cases. She continued to serve as a judge in this role until she passed away on November 4, 2017, in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan.
Important Case: ACLU v. NSA
A Landmark Ruling
In 2006, Judge Taylor made a very important decision in a case called ACLU v. NSA. This case was about whether the government's National Security Agency (NSA) could listen to phone calls inside the U.S. without getting permission from a court. This is known as "warrantless wiretapping."
Judge Taylor ruled that this kind of wiretapping was against the law. She said it violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and was also unconstitutional. She ordered the government to stop this activity. This ruling caused a lot of discussion and debate.
The Appeal
Judge Taylor's decision was later reviewed by a higher court, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. This court decided to overturn her ruling. They said that the people who brought the lawsuit did not have the legal right to sue in this case. So, the part of Judge Taylor's ruling about warrantless wiretaps was removed.
Personal Life
Anna Diggs Taylor was married twice. In 1960, she married U.S. Representative Charles Diggs. They later divorced in 1971. In 1976, she married S. Martin Taylor. He was a regent, or a leader, at the University of Michigan.
See also
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Michigan
