Benita Y. Pearson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benita Y. Pearson
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio | |
| Assumed office December 27, 2010 |
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| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Peter C. Economus |
| Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio | |
| In office August 2008 – December 27, 2010 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | February 1963 (age 62–63) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Education | Georgetown University (BS) Cleveland State University (JD) |
Benita Yalonda Pearson was born in February 1963. She is an important judge in the United States. She works as a federal district judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Before this, she was also a magistrate judge in the same court.
Contents
Judge Benita Pearson's Early Life
Growing Up and Learning
Benita Pearson was born and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. She went to Georgetown University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting in 1985. Later, in 1995, she earned her law degree, called a Juris Doctor, from Cleveland State University College of Law.
Judge Pearson's Career Journey
Early Work Experience
From 1985 to 1992, Benita Pearson worked for a company called BP. She started as an accountant, helping to manage the company's money. Then, she became a supervisor in retail marketing and later worked in retail sales.
After that, from 1992 to 1994, Pearson worked as a law clerk for a law firm in Cleveland. This means she helped lawyers with their research and paperwork. From 1995 to 1996, she worked as a litigation associate, helping with lawsuits.
Working in the Courts
From 1996 to 1998, Pearson served as a law clerk for Judge John Michael Manos. He was a judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. This experience helped her learn a lot about how courts work.
From 1998 to 2000, she worked as a general litigation associate for a law firm called Jones Day. Then, from 2000 to 2008, she became an assistant United States attorney in Cleveland. In this role, she represented the U.S. government in legal cases.
Becoming a Federal Judge
In August 2008, Benita Pearson became a United States magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. A magistrate judge helps district judges with many tasks, like handling smaller cases and preparing larger ones.
In July 2009, both Senators from Ohio, Sherrod Brown and George Voinovich, suggested that Pearson should become a United States district judge. On December 3, 2009, President Barack Obama officially nominated her for the position. She was chosen to take the place of Judge Peter C. Economus, who had decided to take senior status. This means he was still a judge but with a reduced workload.
The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary approved her nomination in February 2010. On December 21, 2010, the full Senate voted to confirm her. This means they agreed that she should become a judge. She officially received her commission on December 27, 2010. Benita Pearson made history by becoming the first African-American woman to hold a federal judgeship in Ohio.
See also
- List of African-American federal judges
- List of African-American jurists
- List of Cleveland State University College of Law alumni
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Ohio
