Deborah Batts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Deborah A. Batts
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
In office April 13, 2012 – February 3, 2020
Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
In office May 9, 1994 – April 13, 2012
Appointed by	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Richard Owen
Succeeded by	Vernon S. Broderick
Personal details
Born	(1947-04-13)April 13, 1947 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	February 3, 2020(2020-02-03) (aged 72) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Spouse	Gwen Zornberg ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	two
Education	Radcliffe College (AB) Harvard Law School (JD)

Deborah Anne Batts (born April 13, 1947 – died February 3, 2020) was an important judge in the United States. She served as a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. In June 1994, Judge Batts made history. She became the first openly LGBT, African-American federal judge in the nation. She took on a reduced workload, known as senior status, on her 65th birthday in 2012.

Early Life and Family

Deborah Batts was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father, James Alexander Batts, was a doctor. He directed a department at Harlem Hospital Center. Her mother, Ruth S. Batts, was a nurse and homemaker. She was also active in community groups.

Deborah had two sisters, Mercedes Ellington and Denise Batts. She also had a twin sister, Diane Batts Morrow.

She was married to Ira A. McCown. They had two children, Alexandra and James. Later, in 2011, Judge Batts married Gwen Zornberg.

Education and Career Path

Deborah Batts was a very smart student. She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Arts, from Radcliffe College in 1969. She studied Government there.

Then, she went to Harvard Law School. She earned her law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1972. After law school, she worked for Judge Lawrence W. Pierce. She was his law clerk.

From 1979 to 1984, she worked as an Assistant United States Attorney. This meant she represented the U.S. government in legal cases. In 1984, she became a professor at Fordham University School of Law. She was the first African American person to join the law faculty there. She also helped the Department of Investigation for New York City from 1990 to 1991.

Outside of her main jobs, Judge Batts helped with the RISE program. This program aimed to help people who had been in trouble with the law. She also kept teaching at Fordham University.

Becoming a Federal Judge

On January 27, 1994, President Bill Clinton chose Deborah Batts to be a federal judge. She was recommended by Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. The United States Senate approved her nomination on May 6, 1994. She officially became a judge on May 9, 1994.

She continued to serve as a judge until her death on February 3, 2020. She passed away due to complications from knee surgery. Even while serving as a judge, she kept teaching as a professor at Fordham University.

Important Cases and Decisions

Judge Batts handled many important cases during her time on the bench.

In 2007, a music company sued the TV show Family Guy. The company, Bourne Co. Music Publishers, said Family Guy used their song "When You Wish Upon a Star" without permission. This is called copyright infringement. Family Guy had a parody song called "I Need a Jew." Bourne Co. argued that the parody used their music but had offensive lyrics.

On March 16, 2009, Judge Batts made a key decision. She ruled that Family Guy did not break copyright laws. She said the show had changed the song enough for comical use. This meant it was a First Amendment-protected parody. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech.

Judge Batts was also involved in the case of the Central Park Five in 2007. She rejected a request to dismiss their lawsuit. This was an important step in their legal fight.

See also

• List of African-American jurists
• List of first women lawyers and judges in New York
• List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
• List of LGBT jurists in the United States

Sources

• Deborah A. Batts at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.