Douglas H. Ginsburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Douglas H. Ginsburg
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2005
|
|
| Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| Assumed office October 14, 2011 |
|
| Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| In office July 16, 2001 – February 11, 2008 |
|
| Preceded by | Harry T. Edwards |
| Succeeded by | David B. Sentelle |
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| In office October 14, 1986 – October 14, 2011 |
|
| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | J. Skelly Wright |
| Succeeded by | Cornelia Pillard |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division | |
| In office 1985–1986 |
|
| Preceded by | J. Paul McGrath |
| Succeeded by | Charles Rule |
| Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs | |
| In office 1984–1985 |
|
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Christopher DeMuth |
| Succeeded by | Wendy Lee Gramm |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 25, 1946 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | |
Douglas Howard Ginsburg, born on May 25, 1946, is an American lawyer and judge. He serves as a senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This court is very important because it often handles cases involving the U.S. government. He is also a law professor at George Mason University.
President Ronald Reagan appointed Judge Ginsburg to the D.C. Circuit in 1986. He later became the chief judge of that court from 2001 to 2008. In 1987, President Reagan considered nominating him to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, Judge Ginsburg decided to withdraw his name from consideration due to questions about his past personal choices.
Since October 2011, Judge Ginsburg has been a "senior judge." This means he still works but with a reduced caseload. He also teaches about law, including topics like antitrust law and constitutional law.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Douglas Ginsburg was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 25, 1946. After finishing high school in 1963, he went to Cornell University. He left college for a short time in 1965. During this time, he helped start a very early computer dating service called Operation Match.
He sold the company in 1968 and went back to Cornell. He graduated in 1970 with a degree in industrial relations. After Cornell, he attended the University of Chicago Law School. He was an editor for the University of Chicago Law Review, a respected legal journal. He earned his law degree in 1973.
Career in Law and Government
After law school, Judge Ginsburg worked as a law clerk for two important judges. First, he worked for Judge Carl E. McGowan from 1973 to 1974. Then, he worked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall from 1974 to 1975. A law clerk helps a judge with research and writing.
He then became a professor at Harvard Law School. He taught various law subjects there. In 1983, he joined President Ronald Reagan's administration. He worked in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. This division works to prevent companies from unfairly limiting competition.
From 1984 to 1985, he led the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. In 1985, he became the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division.
Judge Ginsburg has also taught at several universities. He was a professor at George Mason University School of Law for many years. He also taught at the University of Chicago Law School and Columbia University Law School. Today, he is a professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School.
Federal Judicial Service
President Ronald Reagan nominated Douglas Ginsburg to be a judge on the D.C. Circuit on September 23, 1986. The United States Senate approved his nomination on October 8, 1986. He officially became a judge on October 14, 1986.
He served as the Chief Judge of the D.C. Circuit from 2001 to 2008. As Chief Judge, he was in charge of the court's administration. On October 14, 2011, he became a senior judge.
Supreme Court Nomination
On October 29, 1987, President Reagan announced his plan to nominate Judge Ginsburg to the U.S. Supreme Court. This was to fill a spot left open by Justice Lewis Powell. This happened after the Senate had rejected another nominee, Judge Robert Bork.
However, Judge Ginsburg's nomination faced challenges. News reports came out about some of his past personal choices. There were also questions about a possible financial conflict of interest during his time in the Reagan Administration. However, an investigation by the Department of Justice found that this accusation was not true.
Because of the controversy, Judge Ginsburg decided to withdraw his name from consideration on November 7, 1987. He continued to serve on the Court of Appeals. President Reagan then nominated Anthony Kennedy, who was confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice in early 1988.
Personal Life
Douglas Ginsburg married public relations consultant Deecy Gray in 2007. Their wedding ceremony took place at the U.S. Supreme Court. It was performed by Chief Justice John Roberts. Judge Ginsburg has three daughters from his previous marriages.
See also
- List of Jewish American jurists
- List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 10)
