Judith W. Rogers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Judith Rogers
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Official artistic portrait, 2019
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| Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| Assumed office September 1, 2022 |
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| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| In office March 11, 1994 – September 1, 2022 |
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| Appointed by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Clarence Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Brad Garcia |
| Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals | |
| In office November 1, 1988 – March 17, 1994 |
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| Preceded by | William C. Pryor |
| Succeeded by | Annice M. Wagner |
| Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals | |
| In office September 15, 1983 – March 11, 1994 |
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| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Catherine B. Kelly |
| Succeeded by | Vanessa Ruiz |
| Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia | |
| In office April 12, 1979 – September 15, 1983 |
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| Mayor | Marion Barry |
| Preceded by | Louis Robbins (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Inez Smith Reid |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Judith Ann Wilson
July 27, 1939 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Parent | John Louis Wilson Jr. (father) |
| Education | Radcliffe College (BA) Harvard University (LLB) LLM) |
Judith Ann Wilson Rogers (born July 27, 1939) is an important American judge. She serves as a senior federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This is a very high court in the United States.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Judith Ann Wilson was born in New York City on July 27, 1939. Her father, John Louis Wilson Jr., was a famous architect. He designed many public buildings in New York City.
Rogers went to Radcliffe College and earned a degree in 1961. She then studied law at Harvard Law School, graduating in 1964. Later, she received another law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1988.
Early Legal Career
After finishing law school, Judith Rogers began her career in law. From 1964 to 1965, she worked as a law clerk at the Juvenile Court of the District of Columbia. A law clerk helps judges with their research and writing.
She then served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1965 to 1968. This role meant she represented the government in legal cases.
Rogers also worked for legal aid groups. She was a staff attorney at the San Francisco Neighborhood Legal Assistance Foundation from 1968 to 1969. Then, she became a trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division from 1969 to 1971.
From 1971 to 1972, she was the General Counsel for a special commission. This group helped create a law that gave the District of Columbia more control over its own government. This is known as "home rule."
Rogers continued to work in the District government from 1972 to 1979. During this time, the District of Columbia held its first elections for its city council and mayor. In 1979, she made history. She became the first woman to serve as the chief legal officer for the District of Columbia. This role is called the corporation counsel.
Judicial Service in Washington D.C.
In 1983, Judith Rogers became a judge. She was appointed as an Associate Judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. This court is the highest court for the District of Columbia.
She served on this court for many years. From 1988 to 1994, she was the Chief Judge of the court. This means she was the main leader of the court.
Federal Judicial Service
In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated Judith Rogers to a new position. He chose her to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This is one of the most important federal appeals courts in the country.
The United States Senate approved her nomination on March 10, 1994. She officially became a judge on March 11, 1994. She was the fourth woman ever to be appointed to this court.
On September 1, 2022, Judge Rogers took on a new role. She became a senior judge. This means she still works on cases but with a reduced workload.
Important Cases and Decisions
Judge Rogers has been involved in many important legal cases. Her decisions have helped shape the law.
- In 2017, she wrote an opinion about the First Amendment. This amendment protects freedom of speech and the press. She argued that the public should have a right to see certain court documents.
- In 2020, she disagreed with a majority decision. The court ruled that the United States House Committee on the Judiciary could not force a former White House lawyer to testify. Judge Rogers believed the committee should have been able to get the testimony.
- In 2021, she wrote a decision that allowed the postal service regulator to raise mail rates. This decision was agreed upon by all the judges on the panel.
See also
- List of African-American federal judges
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Washington D.C.
