David Sentelle has been a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since 1987 and its chief judge since 2008. Sentelle was previously a federal judge in the Western District of North Carolina, as well as a state judge in North Carolina. Of his style, the American Inns of Court wrote: "Still sporting his trademark cowboy boots and with his distinctive bass drawl, [Sentelle] can mesmerize an audience with an anecdote or a moving story about the law." Other items of interest:
Nominated by President Reagan to both his federal trial and appellate judgeships.
Served as Presiding Judge of the Special Division for the Purpose of Appointing Independent Counsels from 1992-2006.
Wrote a book, Judge Dave and the Rainbow People, about a group of hippies seeking to use a national park for an annual meeting. Sentelle, the judge in the matter, stated, "I think I’ve received as many questions about the Rainbow case as about the Oliver North case, the Microsoft appeal, and perhaps even the Monica Lewinsky investigations."
Wrote, or on the panel of, decisions related to detainee rights, see, e.g., here, here, and here, and participated in presentations on national security and terrorism, linked here. Other speeches are here and here.
Serves as President of the Edward Bennett Williams Inn of the American Inns of Court and received a professionalism award from the AIC.
Sits as a member of the U.S. Judicial Conference's Executive Committee.
Worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and also in private practice, both in North Carolina.
Graduated from the University of North Carolina, both college and law school.
Born 1943 in Canton, North Carolina; his father was a mill worker.
