Tanya Walton Pratt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tanya Walton Pratt
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Pratt in 2010
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| Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana | |
| In office March 20, 2021 – July 11, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Jane Magnus-Stinson |
| Succeeded by | James R. Sweeney II |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana | |
| Assumed office June 15, 2010 |
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| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | David Hamilton |
| Judge of the Marion County Superior Court | |
| In office 1997–2010 |
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| Constituency | Criminal Division (1997-2008) Probate Division (2009-2010) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Tanya Marie Walton
December 14, 1959 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Education | Spelman College (BA) Howard University (JD) |
Tanya Marie Walton Pratt, born on December 14, 1959, is an important judge in the United States. She serves as a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. This means she helps make big decisions in legal cases for a large area of Indiana.
Contents
Growing Up and Going to School
Early Life in Indiana
Tanya Marie Walton Pratt grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. She went to Cathedral High School there.
College and Law School
After high school, she continued her education. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College in 1981. Later, she went to Howard University and earned her law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1984.
Her Journey to Becoming a Judge
Early Career Steps
Before becoming a judge, Tanya Pratt had many different jobs. In 1981, she worked as a security guard. In 1982, she was a summer helper for a local government office in Indianapolis.
From 1986 to 1991, she worked as a public defender in Marion County, Indiana. This meant she helped people who could not afford a lawyer. She also worked at a law firm in Indianapolis from 1984 to 1996.
Becoming a Local Judge
In 1993, Tanya Pratt started working as a temporary judge for the Marion County Superior Court. In 1997, she became a full-time judge in Marion County. For many years, from 1997 to 2008, she worked in the Criminal Division. She handled serious cases there. From 2009 to 2010, she worked in the court's probate division, which handles things like wills and estates.
Becoming a Federal Judge
In 2009, Tanya Pratt showed interest in becoming a federal judge. After interviews, President Barack Obama nominated her for the position on January 20, 2010. She was chosen to fill a spot left by Judge David F. Hamilton.
The Senate voted to approve her on June 15, 2010, with a vote of 95 to 0. She officially became a federal judge on the same day. Judge Pratt made history as the first African American federal judge in Indiana.
On March 20, 2021, she became the chief judge for the Southern District of Indiana. This was another historic moment, as she was the first African-American chief judge for that court. Her term as chief judge ended on July 11, 2025.
Important Decisions and Cases
Key Rulings by Judge Pratt
Judge Pratt has made several important decisions during her time as a federal judge.
- In 2016, she made a ruling about money for people seeking safety. She decided against an order from the Governor of Indiana. This order had tried to stop federal money from being used to help Syrian refugees settle in Indiana.
- In 2018, she made a ruling in a case involving a person who was hurt by a police dog. She decided that the person could not win the case because they were not the person the police were trying to catch.
See also
- List of African-American federal judges
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Indiana
