Jamal Whitehead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jamal Whitehead
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington | |
| Assumed office March 14, 2023 |
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| Appointed by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Richard A. Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jamal Norman Whitehead
1979 (age 45–46) Turnersville, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | University of Washington (BA) Seattle University (JD) |
Jamal Norman Whitehead (born 1979) is an American lawyer. He is now a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. This means he makes important decisions in legal cases in western Washington state.
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Early Life and Education
Jamal Whitehead was born in 1979 in Turnersville, New Jersey. He studied at the University of Washington. In 2004, he earned a degree in political science. He then went to Seattle University School of Law. In 2007, he earned his law degree there.
Jamal Whitehead's Career as a Lawyer
After finishing law school, Jamal Whitehead started working as a lawyer. From 2007 to 2010, he worked at a law firm in Seattle. Then, from 2010 to 2014, he worked for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This is a government agency that helps prevent unfair treatment at work.
From 2014 to 2016, he was an Assistant United States Attorney. This means he worked for the U.S. government to handle legal cases. After that, from 2016 to 2023, he worked at another law firm in Seattle. He was also the president of the Loren Miller Bar Association. This is a group for minority lawyers in Washington state.
Important Cases He Handled
Jamal Whitehead worked on some very important cases. These cases helped people who were treated unfairly.
In 2018, he helped a car dealership employee. This employee had a disability and used a special voice box to speak. He was fired from his job. Jamal Whitehead took the case to court. A jury decided that the employee should receive $5 million. The car dealership tried to appeal the decision. But Jamal Whitehead won the appeal too, keeping the original decision.
In 2021, he represented people held in a private prison. These people were working for only $1 a day. Jamal Whitehead argued that they should be paid the state's minimum wage. After a three-week trial, a jury decided that the company had to pay $17.3 million to the workers.
Becoming a Federal Judge
On July 13, 2022, President Joe Biden chose Jamal Whitehead to become a federal judge. He was nominated for a position in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. This position became open when Judge Richard A. Jones retired.
The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a meeting about his nomination. This committee checks if a person is right for the job. On February 28, 2023, the Senate voted to approve his nomination. He officially became a judge on March 14, 2023. He was sworn in, meaning he took an oath, on April 4, 2023.
Personal Life
Jamal Whitehead uses a prosthetic leg. Senator Patty Murray mentioned this when introducing him. He is the first person chosen by President Joe Biden for a judge position who has a physical disability.
See also
