Vanessa Lynne Bryant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vanessa L. Bryant
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| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut | |
| Assumed office February 1, 2021 |
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut | |
| In office April 2, 2007 – February 1, 2021 |
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| Appointed by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Dominic J. Squatrito |
| Succeeded by | Sarala Nagala |
| Judge of the Connecticut Superior Court | |
| In office September 1, 1998 – April 2, 2007 |
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| Constituency | Criminal Division, Waterbury District (1998–2000) Criminal Division, Hartford District (1999–2001) Civil Division, New Britain District (2002–2003) Litchfield District (2003–2004) Civil Division, Hartford District (2004–2007) |
| Vice President and General Counsel of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority | |
| In office May 1990 – June 1992 |
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| Appointed by | William A. O'Neill |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Vanessa Lynne Bryant
January 27, 1954 Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Spouse | Tracy L. Rich |
| Residences | Avon, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Education | Howard University (BA) University of Connecticut (JD) |
Vanessa Lynne Bryant (born January 27, 1954) is a very important judge in the United States. She is a senior federal judge for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. This means she helps make decisions on legal cases in Connecticut.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Vanessa Bryant was born in Queens, New York. She went to Howard University and earned her first degree in 1975. Later, she studied law at the University of Connecticut School of Law. She received her law degree in 1978.
Early Career in Law
After finishing law school, Vanessa Bryant started her career in law. From 1975 to 1976, she worked for the city government in Stamford, Connecticut. She then worked at a private law firm in Hartford, Connecticut, from 1978 to 1981.
She also worked as a lawyer for large companies. These included Aetna Life & Casualty Company from 1981 to 1989. She also worked for Shawmut Bank from 1989 to 1990.
From 1990 to 1992, she was a Vice President and General Counsel for the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority. This organization helps people find homes. In 1991, she joined the Connecticut Board of Pardons. She stayed on this board until 1998.
Before becoming a judge, she was a lawyer and partner at a New York law firm. This was from 1992 to 1998. She also worked as a bankruptcy trustee from 1996 until 1998.
Becoming a State Judge
On September 1, 1998, Vanessa Bryant became a judge. She was appointed to the Connecticut Superior Court. This is a state court in Connecticut.
As a Superior Court Judge, she handled many different types of cases. She was a lead judge for civil cases in New Britain from 2002 to 2003. She also managed the courts in Litchfield from 2003 to 2005. From 2006, she was a lead judge for civil cases in Hartford. She continued in this role until she became a federal judge.
Becoming a Federal Judge
President George W. Bush first suggested Vanessa Bryant for a federal judge position in 2006. This was for the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. However, the Senate did not vote on her nomination at that time.
In 2007, President Bush nominated her again. This time, the Senate confirmed her appointment. She became the 38th person to be a District Judge in Connecticut. She was also the first African-American woman to become a federal judge in New England. She officially started her role on April 2, 2007.
On February 1, 2021, Judge Bryant took on a new role. She became a senior status judge. This means she can choose to work a reduced caseload. On December 18, 2023, she announced she would become an inactive senior judge on December 31, 2023.
As a federal judge, she has overseen important cases. For example, she handled a lawsuit involving former professional wrestlers against WWE. The lawsuit claimed the company did not protect its employees from head injuries. Judge Bryant dismissed this lawsuit in September 2018.
See also
