Emmet G. Sullivan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emmet Sullivan
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| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia | |
| Assumed office April 3, 2021 |
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia | |
| In office June 16, 1994 – April 3, 2021 |
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| Appointed by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Louis F. Oberdorfer |
| Succeeded by | Jia M. Cobb |
| Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals | |
| In office 1992–1994 |
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| Appointed by | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | James A. Belson |
| Succeeded by | Inez Smith Reid |
| Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia | |
| In office 1984–1992 |
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| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Brook Hedge |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Emmet Gael Sullivan
June 4, 1947 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Education | Howard University (BA, JD) |
Emmet Gael Sullivan (born June 4, 1947) is an American lawyer and judge. He serves as a senior United States district judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. This means he is a very experienced judge who still handles cases but with a reduced workload.
Judge Sullivan earned his college and law degrees from Howard University. He worked as a lawyer for over ten years. He was appointed to different courts by three different U.S. Presidents: Ronald Reagan in 1984, George H. W. Bush in 1992, and Bill Clinton in 1994.
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Early Life and Education
Emmet Sullivan was born in Washington, D.C., in 1947. He went to local schools and graduated from McKinley Technology High School in 1964. He then attended Howard University, which is a historically black university. In 1968, he earned a degree in political science. He continued his studies at the Howard University School of Law, where he received his law degree in 1971.
Judge Sullivan's Career Path
After finishing law school, Judge Sullivan worked for a program that helped people with legal issues. He also served as a law clerk for a judge, which means he helped the judge with research and writing.
In 1973, he joined a law firm called Houston & Gardner. This firm was co-founded by Charles Hamilton Houston, a very important lawyer who worked to fight unfair laws. Judge Sullivan became a partner at this firm, handling many different types of legal cases. He also taught law at Howard University and Harvard Law School.
Becoming a Judge
Judge Sullivan's career as a judge began when President Ronald Reagan appointed him to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in 1984. Later, in 1991, President George H. W. Bush appointed him to serve as an Associate Judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Serving as a Federal Judge
In 1994, President Bill Clinton nominated Judge Sullivan to become a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The United States Senate approved his appointment, and he officially became a federal judge on June 16, 1994. On April 3, 2021, Judge Sullivan took on a "senior status" role, continuing to serve but with a lighter caseload.
Important Cases Judge Sullivan Handled
Judge Sullivan has overseen many important cases during his time on the federal bench. These cases often involve complex legal questions and have a big impact.
Cases About Detainees
In the early 2000s, Judge Sullivan handled several cases involving people held by the U.S. military at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. These cases were about whether these individuals were being held lawfully.
Ensuring Fair Trials
Judge Sullivan oversaw a trial involving a U.S. Senator in 2008. During this trial, it was discovered that the lawyers for the government had not shared important information with the defense team. Judge Sullivan took action to address this issue, even holding some of the government lawyers responsible for their actions. He worked to make sure the trial was fair.
Looking into Government Information
In 2014, Judge Sullivan was involved in a case about the 2013 IRS controversy. This case focused on trying to find deleted emails from a former government employee and understand what happened to them. He also presided over a lawsuit in 2015 related to Hillary Clinton's use of a private email account when she was Secretary of State. These cases were about making sure government information is available to the public when required by law.
Protecting Asylum Seekers
In 2018, Judge Sullivan made headlines when he ordered the government to stop the deportation of a mother and child seeking asylum. They had fled difficult situations in their home country. Judge Sullivan demanded that the plane carrying them be turned around, emphasizing the importance of following legal procedures for asylum seekers.
Blumenthal v Trump Lawsuit
Judge Sullivan also oversaw a lawsuit involving former President Donald Trump. This case questioned payments made by foreign governments to hotels owned by President Trump. Judge Sullivan made decisions about whether the people bringing the lawsuit had the right to do so. The case eventually went to a higher court, which decided that the members of Congress who brought the lawsuit did not have the legal right to sue in this particular situation.
US v Flynn Case
One of Judge Sullivan's most well-known cases involved Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser. Flynn had pleaded guilty to a charge of providing false information to the FBI. Judge Sullivan accepted Flynn's guilty plea.
Later, Flynn tried to withdraw his guilty plea, and the Department of Justice also asked to drop the charges against him. Judge Sullivan decided to carefully review this request. He appointed a special lawyer to help him understand all sides of the issue and to look into whether Flynn had been truthful with the court.
The case went through several appeals to higher courts. Eventually, in November 2020, President Trump issued a presidential pardon for Michael Flynn. Because of this pardon, Judge Sullivan dismissed the case in December 2020. He noted that a pardon means the person is forgiven, but it does not mean they are innocent.
Postal Service Orders
In October 2020, Judge Sullivan issued orders to the USPS to make sure mail, especially ballots, was delivered on time before Election Day. He asked the USPS to provide updates on their delivery efforts. When the USPS did not meet some deadlines, Judge Sullivan ordered the Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, to explain the situation in court.
Title 42 Ruling
In November 2022, Judge Sullivan made an important ruling about "Title 42 expulsion." This policy had been used by both President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden to quickly send back asylum seekers at the border. Judge Sullivan ruled that this policy was against the law because it did not follow proper procedures and ignored the negative effects on migrants. His decision required the government to process asylum seekers under regular immigration laws, as they did before Title 42 was put in place.
See Also
