Enrique Moreno facts for kids
Enrique Moreno (born December 28, 1955 – died October 10, 2019) was a Mexican-American lawyer from El Paso, Texas. He was once nominated to be a judge on a very important court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Early Life and Learning
Enrique Moreno was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His father was a carpenter and his mother was a seamstress. He worked hard in school and went to Harvard University, one of the top universities in the world. He earned his first degree there in 1978. Then, he went on to Harvard Law School and became a lawyer in 1981.
His Work as a Lawyer
Moreno started his career helping people who were hurt. He worked on cases about personal injuries and problems with products. This means he helped people who were injured because of someone else's mistake or because a product they used was unsafe.
He worked for several law firms during his career. Since 1999, he ran his own law office, called the Law Offices of Enrique Moreno.
Moreno won some very large cases. For example, in 2001, he was part of a team of lawyers who won a huge amount of money for a man from El Paso. This man got sick because a paint product contained asbestos, which are tiny fibers that can cause serious health problems. Moreno helped the man get justice.
In 2006, Moreno won another big case. He helped an American citizen, who was born in Iran, win a case against Southwest Airlines. This was an important case about racial profiling. This means treating someone unfairly because of their race or background. The airline's flight attendants had the person arrested after she complained about bad service. Moreno helped her prove she was treated unfairly.
In 2007, Moreno also started a group in El Paso. It was called the Citizens' Commission on Best Practices in Government. This group worked to fight against corruption and make sure the government worked fairly and honestly.
Becoming a Judge?
On September 16, 1999, the President at the time, Bill Clinton, chose Moreno to become a judge. He was nominated for a spot on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. This court is a very high court that reviews decisions made by lower courts.
However, becoming a federal judge is a long process. The U.S. Senate has to approve the President's choice. Two senators from Texas, Phil Gramm and Kay Bailey Hutchison, did not support Moreno. They said he didn't have enough experience.
President Clinton disagreed. He said Moreno had "unbelievable academic credentials" and was supported by many professional groups. Clinton felt the senators might want a judge who was easier to influence politically. Moreno himself said he was thankful for all the support he received from his community.
Moreno's nomination even became a topic in the 2000 presidential election. Vice President Al Gore, who was running for president, asked Congress to approve Moreno.
But because the Republican Party controlled the Senate, Moreno's nomination faced difficulties. He never had a hearing with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which is a key step. So, the Senate never voted on him. President Clinton tried again to nominate him in 2001, but when President George W. Bush took office, he withdrew Moreno's nomination.
Later, in 2002, Moreno was invited to speak to the Senate Judiciary Committee. He talked about his experience. He said he wasn't personally sad or angry. Instead, he was disappointed for his community and for all the people who supported him. He felt they deserved better.
His Passing
Enrique Moreno passed away on October 10, 2019. He died from complications related to cancer.
