Judges Series: Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook

*Seventh Circuit Bar Association website (for more video clips of Chief Judge Easterbrook, and other judges, click here)

Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is one of the best known and most respected federal appellate judges. He has written and been written about extensively, e.g., here, here, here, here, and here-first page only, and given many speeches and presentations, e.g., here and here-at 29-34, 37-42 (17-43).

Chief Judge Easterbrook's career path as an appellate attorney, and now appellate judge, is enviable. Following graduation from the University of Chicago Law School, Easterbrook clerked for First Circuit Judge Levin Campbell and then joined the U.S. Solicitor General's Office, briefing and arguing cases before the Supreme Court for five years. After returning to Chicago Law, this time as a professor, Easterbrook was confirmed to the Seventh Circuit, serving there since 1985 and as its chief judge since 2006.

Also of note:

Born 1948 in Buffalo, NY and grew up there.

Defines himself as a textualist who has no interest in legislative intent (see video embedded above).

Identifies his legal interests as "antitrust law, criminal law and procedure, and other subjects involving implicit or explicit markets."

Recommends reading prose, as well as Strunk & White's The Elements of Style and Bryan Garner's The Elements of Legal Style, to improve legal writing. Also, has a particular interest in a brief's physical format (e.g., Times New Roman font was designed for newspaper articles, not briefs; do not use).

Worked under Solicitors General Robert Bork and Wade McCree.

Nominated in his mid-thirties to the Seventh Circuit by President Reagan. Would have liked "15 years or so" more as a professor (with consulting and practice), but did not want to turn down the judgeship opportunity.

Enjoys Alaska and opera, outside of the law.

Holds annual "reunions/Star-Wars-movie events," for his clerks.

To reach this post later, or to read about other judges, go to Resources, Judges Series, on Appellate Daily's right sidebar, linked here.

Judges Series: Chief Judge Randall Rader

Chief Judge Randall Rader of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit enjoys teaching.  In fact, Rader's court biography states that his "most prized title may well be 'Professor Rader.'"  He has taught intellectual property at George Washington, University of Virginia, and Georgetown law schools, as well as internationally in Munich, Tokyo, Taipei, New Delhi, and Beijing.  A short video clip of the judge discussing intellectual property is linked here.

Chief Judge Rader also frequently speaks at conferences and similar events.  Last week alone, Rader spoke at three events, per the Federal Circuit website.  Earlier this year, Rader granted an in-depth interview to Gene Quinn of IPWatchdog, linked here, discussing everything from opinion assignments and dissents, to the anticipated turnover on the Federal Circuit, to how presiding over trials benefits an appellate judge, as well as some lighter fare, including Rader's fifth grade report on space travel and answer to Kirk or Picard?  (Kirk.)  For more information, see Rader biographies here (Federal Judicial Center) and here (Federal Circuit).  

Other items of note:

Worked from 1975-1988 on Capitol Hill, on both the House and Senate sides, including seven years with the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senator Orrin Hatch.

Served on the U.S. Claims Court (now the U.S. Court of Federal Claims) from 1988-1990.

Nominated to the Federal Circuit by George H.W. Bush and confirmed in 1990; became chief judge in 2010.

Has written about the history and unique aspects of the Federal Circuit, as well as development of law within it.  Randall R. Rader, Introduction—Specialized Courts: The Legislative Response, 40 Am. U. L. Rev. 1003 (1991); The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: The Promise and Perils of a Court of Limited Jurisdiction, 5 Marq. Intell. Prop. L. Rev. 1 (2001) (linked here); Foreword—Always at the Margin: Inequitable Conduct in Flux, 59 Am. U. L. Rev. 777 (2010) (linked here).

Graduated from Brigham Young University (B.A., 1974) and George Washington University Law School (J.D., 1978).

Born 1949 in Hastings, NE.

To learn about other judges, please click on "Judges Series" in the right sidebar or here.

Judges Series: Chief Judge Joel Dubina

It would be an understatement to say that Chief Judge Joel Dubina of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has a unique understanding of the federal court system.  He has served as a federal judge since 1983, at four different levels: magistrate, district judge, appellate judge, and now, chief appellate judge.  Among other points of interest, Chief Judge Dubina was on the Elian Gonzalez panel and has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.  More below:

Judges Series: Chief Judge William Riley

Although William Jay Riley has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit since 2001, and as its chief judge since 2010, he is a trial attorney at heart.  Before joining the bench, Chief Judge Riley was a trial attorney for twenty-eight years at Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan in Omaha, and headed that firm's litigation group.  He has been associated with various trial-related organizations: the National Board of Trial Advocacy (board-certified civil trial specialist), American College of Trial Lawyers (fellow and state committee chair), and American Board of Trial Advocates (member and state chapter president).  Also, Riley currently teaches trial practice as an adjunct professor at both the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Creighton Law Schools.  See bios here, here, and here.  Other items of note:

DC Circuit Decision Today

The Judges Series entry on Chief Judge David Sentelle of the DC Circuit, posted earlier today, mentions that he has participated in decisions related to detainee rights.  As a coincidence, the DC Circuit released one such decision today, authored by Sentelle and covered by Reuters here.  The decision is dated June 30, 2010, but the court did not make it public until today.

Judges Series: Chief Judge David Sentelle

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.

Judges Series: Chief Judge Alex Kozinski

Later in 2010, Alex Kozinski, whose chambers are in Pasadena, California, will mark twenty-five years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the last three as Chief Judge.  In many ways, Chief Judge Kozinski needs no introduction.  The media has covered him extensively; see here, here, and for several pieces, here.  Recent mentions from 2010 are here and here.

Perhaps Kozinski's best-known media moment came several years ago when he nominated himself for (and won) the title of #1 Male Superhottie of the Federal Judiciary in a blog contest, noting, among other things, his earlier win on the Dating Game.  (Last month, Kozinski alluded to his hottie title in a dissenting opinion.)  In tandem with the light-hearted "Alex K.," though, is a substantive jurist and prolific writer.  Some items of note:

Judges Series: Chief Judge Mary Beck Briscoe

On May 1, 2010, Mary Beck Briscoe became the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, in anticipation of the impending retirement of former Chief Judge Robert H. Henry.  Per the Tenth Circuit website (Court News and Events), Chief Judge Briscoe, whose chambers are in Lawrence, Kansas, "has served on the court since 1995, and served on the Kansas Court of Appeals for the eleven preceding years, the last five as chief judge."  Her complete Tenth Circuit bio is here.  Other items of note:

Judges Series

Later today, there will be a post on Tenth Circuit Chief Judge Mary Beck Briscoe—the first in a series of pieces highlighting the biographies of federal appellate judges. These periodic posts will be archived on Appellate Daily's sidebar, to serve as a convenient reference source for interested researchers, including those appearing before the judges or analyzing cases written by them.