Barrington D. Parker Jr. facts for kids

Barrington Daniels Parker Jr. was born on August 21, 1944. He is a very experienced judge in the United States. He currently serves as a senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. This court handles important legal cases.

Early Life and Education

Barrington D. Parker Jr.'s father, Barrington Daniels Parker Sr., was also a judge. His father served on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for many years.

Parker Jr. went to Yale University. He earned his first degree there in 1965. Later, he received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1969. He is still involved with Yale University. He is a member of the Yale Corporation, which is like the university's main board.

Legal Career Before Becoming a Judge

After law school, Parker Jr. worked as a law clerk. This means he helped a judge with legal research and writing. He worked for Judge Aubrey E. Robinson Jr. from 1969 to 1970.

After that, Parker Jr. worked as a lawyer in New York City. He was in "private practice" for 24 years. This means he worked for law firms, helping different clients with their legal issues. He was also a partner at some of these law firms.

Becoming a Federal Judge

Serving as a District Judge

In 1994, President Bill Clinton chose Parker Jr. to become a judge. He was nominated to be a United States district judge. The Senate, which is part of the U.S. government, approved his nomination. He officially became a judge on September 15, 1994. He served as a district judge until 2001.

Moving to the Court of Appeals

In 2001, President George W. Bush nominated Parker Jr. for a higher court. He was chosen to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. This court hears appeals from the district courts. The Senate approved his nomination with a unanimous vote. He started his new role on October 16, 2001.

In 2009, Judge Parker Jr. took on "senior status." This means he still works as a judge but with a reduced caseload.

Notable Case

In 2019, Judge Parker Jr. was part of an important court decision. He was on a panel of three judges who ruled that President Donald Trump could not block people from his Twitter account. The judges decided that the president's Twitter account was used for official announcements. Because of this, people's responses to it were protected by the First Amendment. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech.

Personal Life

Barrington D. Parker Jr. is the son of Barrington D. Parker.

See also

• List of African-American federal judges
• List of African-American jurists