Bernice B. Donald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernice Donald
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| Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | |
| In office September 27, 2022 – January 20, 2023 |
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| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | |
| In office September 8, 2011 – September 27, 2022 |
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| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Ronald Lee Gilman |
| Succeeded by | Andre Mathis |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee | |
| In office December 26, 1995 – September 8, 2011 |
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| Appointed by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Odell Horton |
| Succeeded by | John T. Fowlkes Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bernice Bouie
September 17, 1951 DeSoto County, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Education | University of Memphis (BA, JD) |
Bernice Bouie Donald (born September 17, 1951) is an American lawyer and a former judge. She worked in the federal court system for many years. She was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit from 2011 to 2023. Before that, she served as a judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee from 1995 to 2011. In January 2024, after retiring from her judge roles, she joined a law firm called Burch, Porter and Johnson, PLLC.
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About Bernice Donald
Bernice Bouie Donald was born on September 17, 1951, in DeSoto County, Mississippi. She went to the University of Memphis and earned her first degree in 1974. Later, she studied law at the University of Memphis School of Law and became a lawyer in 1979.
After law school, she worked as a private lawyer in Memphis, Tennessee, for a short time. In 1980, she joined Memphis Area Legal Services. She helped people with legal issues related to jobs and money. From 1980 to 1982, she also worked as an assistant public defender in Shelby County. A public defender is a lawyer who helps people who cannot afford to hire their own lawyer.
From 1985 to 1988, she was a part-time professor at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. After she retired from being a judge, Judge Bernice Bouie Donald joined the law firm of Burch, Porter and Johnson, PLLC.
Her Career as a Judge
State Judge in Tennessee
Bernice Donald started her career as a judge in Tennessee. She was a judge on Tennessee's General Sessions Criminal Court from 1982 to 1988. During this time, she also taught as a part-time professor at Southwest Tennessee Community College. She taught there from 1984 to 1989. In 1983, she became a member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority, which is a community service organization.
Federal Judge Service
Bernice Donald later became a judge in the federal court system. Federal courts handle cases that involve U.S. laws or the U.S. Constitution.
Bankruptcy Court Judge
From 1988 to 1995, Judge Donald served as a United States bankruptcy judge. She worked for the Western District of Tennessee. Bankruptcy judges handle cases where people or businesses cannot pay their debts.
District Court Judge
On December 7, 1995, President Bill Clinton nominated Bernice Donald to be a judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. The United States Senate approved her nomination on December 22, 1995. She officially became a judge on December 26, 1995. She served as a U.S. district judge until September 8, 2011. At that time, she moved to a higher federal court.
Court of Appeals Judge
On December 1, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Judge Donald for a position on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. This court hears appeals from district courts. The Senate confirmed her appointment on September 6, 2011, with a vote of 96 to 2. She officially started her new role on September 8, 2011.
On September 8, 2022, another judge, Andre Mathis, was confirmed by the Senate to take her place. Judge Donald took on "senior status" on September 27, 2022. This means she worked a reduced schedule. She fully retired from active service on January 20, 2023.
See also
- List of African-American federal judges
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Tennessee
