Johnnie B. Rawlinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johnnie Rawlinson
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| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
| Assumed office July 26, 2000 |
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| Appointed by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Melvin T. Brunetti |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada | |
| In office April 7, 1998 – July 26, 2000 |
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| Appointed by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Lloyd D. George |
| Succeeded by | Larry R. Hicks |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Johnnie Mae Blakeney
December 16, 1952 Concord, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Education | North Carolina A&T State University (BS) University of the Pacific (JD) Duke University (MJur) |
Johnnie Mae Blakeney Rawlinson (born December 16, 1952) is a very important judge in the United States. She serves as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Before this, she was a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada.
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Early Life and Education
Johnnie Rawlinson was born in Concord, North Carolina. She studied a lot in North Carolina. In 1974, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She then went on to law school at the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific. She earned her law degree in 1979.
In 1980, Johnnie Rawlinson and another woman, Viveca Monet Woods, made history. They were the first African American women allowed to practice law in the state of Nevada.
Career as a Lawyer and Judge
Before becoming a federal judge, Rawlinson worked for over 17 years in Las Vegas. She was a deputy district attorney and then a chief deputy for the Clark County District Attorney's office. This means she helped the government with legal cases.
In 1997, President Bill Clinton chose her to be a judge. The United States Senate agreed with his choice. She became a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. She was the first woman to serve as a judge on this court.
Later, in 2016, Judge Rawlinson continued her education. She earned a Master of Judicial Studies degree from Duke University School of Law.
Serving as a Federal Judge
District Court Role
Johnnie Rawlinson started her federal judging career as a district judge. President Bill Clinton nominated her for this role on January 27, 1998. The Senate approved her on April 2, 1998. She officially became a judge on April 7, 1998. She served in this position until July 26, 2000.
Court of Appeals Role
On February 22, 2000, President Clinton nominated Judge Rawlinson for an even higher position. He chose her to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This court hears appeals from the district courts. Senator Harry Reid had suggested her for the job.
The United States Senate approved her for this new role on July 21, 2000. She officially started on July 26, 2000. This made her the last appeals-court judge approved during President Clinton's time in office. She also became the first African American woman to serve on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Personal Life
Judge Rawlinson lives in Las Vegas. Her husband, Dwight Rawlinson, passed away in August 2016. They had been married for 40 years.
More to Explore
- List of African-American federal judges
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Nevada
