Jerry W. Blackwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jerry Blackwell
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota | |
| Assumed office December 20, 2022 |
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| Appointed by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Susan Richard Nelson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jerry Wayne Blackwell
1962 (age 62–63) Mooresville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Education | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BS, JD) |
Jerry Wayne Blackwell (born 1962) is an American lawyer who now serves as a United States district judge. He works for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. Before becoming a judge, he was a well-known prosecutor in a very important trial. This was the trial of Derek Chauvin, related to the death of George Floyd.
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Jerry Blackwell's Education
Jerry Blackwell studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree there in 1984. He received a special scholarship called the Morehead-Cain Scholarship. Later, in 1987, he earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Jerry Blackwell's Career as a Lawyer
From 1987 until 2022, Jerry Blackwell worked as a lawyer in private practice. This means he worked for law firms, not for the government. He was a partner at several law firms in Minneapolis. One of these was Blackwell Igbanugo, which was one of the largest law firms in the nation owned by Black individuals. In 2006, he helped start his own law firm called Blackwell Burke.
Important Cases Jerry Blackwell Handled
During his career, Jerry Blackwell worked on many important cases. He even represented the famous musician Prince.
In 2020, Blackwell helped clear the name of Max Mason. Mason was a Black man who was wrongly found guilty in 1920 in Duluth, Minnesota. Blackwell helped get him a special pardon after his death.
Blackwell was also a special prosecutor in the trial of Derek Chauvin. This was the Minneapolis police officer involved in the death of George Floyd. Blackwell worked on this case without being paid, which is called pro bono work. He gave the opening and closing speeches for the prosecution. He spoke about how the jury now knew the truth after hearing all the evidence.
Jerry Blackwell Becomes a Federal Judge
On June 15, 2022, President Joe Biden chose Jerry Blackwell to become a United States district judge. He would take the place of Judge Susan Richard Nelson. Judge Nelson had decided to take a less active role.
The Process of Becoming a Judge
To become a judge, Jerry Blackwell had to go through a special process. On July 27, 2022, he had a hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee. This committee reviews people chosen for judge positions. On September 15, 2022, the committee voted to approve his nomination.
Then, on December 1, 2022, the United States Senate voted to move forward with his nomination. Finally, on December 7, 2022, the Senate voted to confirm him as a judge. He officially started his job as a judge on December 20, 2022.
Jerry Blackwell's Personal Life
Outside of his work, Jerry Blackwell enjoys some interesting hobbies. He is a hobby farmer, which means he farms for fun. He is also a beekeeper, taking care of bees and their hives.
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