DeAndrea G. Benjamin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
DeAndrea Gist Benjamin
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| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit | |
| Assumed office February 21, 2023 |
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| Appointed by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Henry F. Floyd |
| Judge of the South Carolina Circuit Court for the 5th Judicial Circuit | |
| In office February 2, 2011 – February 21, 2023 |
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| Appointed by | South Carolina General Assembly |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
DeAndrea Donale Gist
October 4, 1972 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Education | Winthrop University (BA) University of South Carolina (JD) |
DeAndrea Gist Benjamin (born October 4, 1972) is an American lawyer. She works as a federal judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Before this, she was a judge for the South Carolina Circuit Court in the Fifth Judicial Circuit.
Contents
Early Life and School
DeAndrea Gist Benjamin was born in 1972 in Columbia, South Carolina. Her parents were Donald and Adrienne Gist. She finished Columbia High School in 1990.
College Education
Benjamin went to Winthrop University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1994. She then studied law at the University of South Carolina School of Law, getting her law degree (called a JD) in 1997.
Her Career as a Lawyer and Judge
After law school, Benjamin worked as a law clerk for Judge L. Casey Manning from 1997 to 1998. She then became an assistant solicitor, helping with cases in Juvenile and Family Court from 1998 to 1999.
Working for the State
From 1999 to 2001, she worked for the South Carolina Attorney General's Office. After that, she worked at the Gist Law Firm from 2001 to 2011.
Becoming a Judge
In 2001, Governor Jim Hodges chose Benjamin to be on the Juvenile Parole Board. She served there from 2001 to 2004. From 2004 to 2011, she was a city judge in Columbia.
In 2011, she was chosen to be a judge for the South Carolina Circuit Court in the Fifth Judicial Circuit.
Becoming a Federal Judge
On August 9, 2022, President Joe Biden announced that he wanted Benjamin to become a federal judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. This court hears appeals from lower courts.
Her nomination was sent to the Senate on September 6, 2022. She was nominated to fill a spot left by Judge Henry F. Floyd. Many people supported her, including House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn.
Confirmation Process
On November 15, 2022, a meeting was held where senators asked her questions. On December 8, 2022, a committee voted 13–9 to approve her nomination.
Her nomination was sent back to the President on January 3, 2023, but she was nominated again on the same day. On February 2, 2023, the committee voted again, 12–8, to approve her.
The Senate voted on her nomination on February 9, 2023, and she was confirmed by a vote of 53–44. She officially became a judge on February 21, 2023. She is the second African American woman to serve on the Fourth Circuit Court and the first African American person from South Carolina to do so.
Personal Life
DeAndrea Gist Benjamin married Stephen K. Benjamin in 2002. He was the mayor of Columbia from 2010 to 2022. He also worked as a senior advisor to the President from 2023 to 2025. They have two daughters.
See also
