J. Michelle Childs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
J. Michelle Childs
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| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| Assumed office July 25, 2022 |
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| Appointed by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | David S. Tatel |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina | |
| In office August 20, 2010 – August 2, 2022 |
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| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | G. Ross Anderson |
| Succeeded by | Jacquelyn D. Austin |
| Judge of the South Carolina Circuit Court, 5th Circuit | |
| In office 2006–2010 |
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| Appointed by | South Carolina General Assembly |
| Preceded by | Reggie Lloyd |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie P. McDonald |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Julianna Michelle Childs
March 24, 1966 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Spouse | Floyd Angus |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | University of South Florida (BA) University of South Carolina (MA, JD) Duke University (LLM) |
Julianna Michelle Childs (born March 24, 1966) is an American lawyer and judge. She serves as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Before this, she was a judge for the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina from 2010 to 2022. She also served as a judge for the South Carolina Circuit Court from 2006 to 2010.
In 2022, President Joe Biden considered Judge Childs for a seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. However, he later chose Ketanji Brown Jackson for that position.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Michelle Childs was born in 1966 in Detroit, Michigan. Her parents divorced when she was young. Her father, Ralph "Pete" Childs, was a champion table tennis player. Her mother, Shandra, moved to Columbia, South Carolina, when Michelle was 14. Her father passed away in 1980.
Childs went to Columbia High School. She graduated in 1984 as the class president and valedictorian, meaning she was the top student in her graduating class. She also participated in youth beauty pageants and won the Miss Black Florida pageant in 1986.
She became interested in law after joining mock trial programs in high school and at the University of South Florida. A mock trial is like a pretend court case where students act as lawyers and witnesses. She attended the University of South Florida on a scholarship and graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. She also joined the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
Childs then studied law at the University of South Carolina School of Law. She earned her Juris Doctor (JD) degree in 1991, which is the degree needed to become a lawyer. In the same year, she also earned a Master of Arts (MA) degree from the University of South Carolina School of Business. Later, in 2016, she received a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in judicial studies from Duke University School of Law.
Early Career
In 1991, Michelle Childs started her career as a law clerk at a law firm called Nexsen Pruet. A law clerk helps lawyers with research and paperwork. From 1992 to 1999, she worked as an associate attorney at the firm. In 2000, she became a law firm partner, making her the first Black woman partner at a major law firm in South Carolina. During her time there, she became known as an expert in employment law and labor law. These areas of law deal with rules about jobs, workplaces, and workers' rights.
After working at Nexsen Pruet, Childs spent six years working for the state government. From 2000 to 2002, she was a deputy director for labor in the South Carolina Department of Labor. From 2002 to 2006, she served as a commissioner on the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission. This commission helps workers who get hurt on the job.
Judicial Career
State Court
In 2006, the South Carolina General Assembly chose her to become a Circuit Court Judge for Richland County. While serving as a state judge, she led a special program for business cases. She also became the chief judge for General Sessions, which is South Carolina's Criminal Court.
Federal Judicial Service
District Court Service
On December 22, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Judge Childs to serve on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. This court handles federal cases in South Carolina. The United States Senate confirmed her nomination on August 5, 2010. She officially became a judge on August 20, 2010. She served on this court until August 2, 2022, when she moved to a higher court.
In 2011, Judge Childs was elected to the American Law Institute. She also became the chair of the judicial division of the American Bar Association in 2020. In 2021, U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn suggested her as a possible nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States.
Notable Cases
As a federal judge, Michelle Childs handled several important cases:
- In November 2014, she ruled that South Carolina had to recognize marriages performed in other states for two women. She found that not recognizing their marriage was against the Constitution.
- In September 2020, she temporarily stopped a rule in South Carolina that required a witness for absentee ballots (votes mailed in). This decision was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- She made two decisions about nuclear power plants in South Carolina. In 2018, she did not stop a state law that lowered customer rates after a failed nuclear reactor project. In 2021, she allowed a company to require its workers at a nuclear facility to get vaccinated. She ruled that the company did not have to keep employees who refused vaccination.
Potential Nomination to the Supreme Court
On January 28, 2022, the White House announced that Judge Childs was being considered for a seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. This seat became open when Justice Stephen Breyer retired. Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina publicly supported her. Representative Jim Clyburn also strongly encouraged President Biden to choose her. However, on February 22, 2022, President Biden chose Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court instead.
Court of Appeals Service
In January 2021, Representative Jim Clyburn suggested Judge Childs for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This court is one of the most important federal appeals courts in the country. On December 23, 2021, President Biden officially nominated her for this position.
A hearing for her nomination was held on April 27, 2022. On July 19, 2022, the Senate confirmed her nomination with a vote of 64 to 34. She received her official judicial commission on July 25, 2022, and began her service on the Court of Appeals.
Personal Life
Judge Childs is married to Floyd Angus, who is a doctor specializing in the digestive system. They have one daughter. She is a Roman Catholic and serves as a trustee on the board of St. Martin de Porres Catholic School in Columbia.
See also
- Joe Biden Supreme Court candidates
- List of African American federal judges
- List of African American jurists
