Edward Nottingham
Encyclopedia
Edward Willis Nottingham, Jr. (born 1948) is a former United States federal judge
in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
having served in that office from November 24, 1989 until his resignation on October 21, 2008.
, Nottingham was raised in Eagle County, Colorado
. He received a bachelor's degree from Cornell University
in 1969, and a J.D.
from the University of Colorado School of Law
in 1972. Prior to his appointment as a judge, Nottingham was a local coordinator for Bush's 1988 presidential campaign
. From 1972 to 1973 he was a law clerk
in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Before becoming a judge, he spent a decade and a half in private practice in Grand Junction, Colorado
, interrupted by a two year stint as an Assistant United States Attorney
for the District of Colorado from 1976 to 1978.
on October 20, 1989, to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333. After a brief delay brought on by Senate efforts to block some Bush appointees, Nottingham was confirmed on by the United States Senate
on November 21, 1989, and received his commission on November 27, 1989.
During his nineteen-year tenure, Nottingham oversaw a number of high-profile cases, such as a copyright infringement case involving Michael Jackson
, a courageous ruling invalidating a law creating a federal "no-call list" for telemarketers which was ultimately overturned, and that of former Qwest
CEO Joe Nacchio for insider trading
.
Although Nottingham's talent as a jurist was never in serious dispute, the consistency of his work and his judicial temperament were matters of widespread concern. On the one hand, the Denver Post reported that Nottingham had a reputation for judicial efficiency, and as "one of the best legal minds on the bench," . He received both notoriety and admiration for dressing down witnesses and demanding professionalism from attorneys .
AP reported that the Diamond Cabaret manager Justin Frankell said the judge had visited the strip club on other occasions. They reported that 9 News reported that Nottingham said he could not remember the details of spending the $3,000 at the Diamond Cabaret on 9/05/05 because he had been drinking. The transcript also said Nottingham had paid $150 to use an Internet dating site, Ipayfriendfinder.com. His ex wife reported that she learned of the dating service calls when she mistakenly opened a bill, and immediately confronted her husband in his chambers. "When I asked about the dating service, he turned around in his chambers, and he hit his computer and he told me all about the dating service; it was a porn site."
On a separate occasion, Nottingham argued with a woman in a wheelchair because she said he illegally parked in a handicapped spot. Nottingham allegedly threatened to call the U.S. Marshals to deal with the handicapped woman.
The Associated Press reported that Nottingham was "under review by an appeals court over a complaint citing news media reports that he allegedly viewed adult Web sites on his government computer in his chambers".
Following these reports U.S. Senator Ken Salazar
of Colorado called for the impeachment of Judge Nottingham, stating that no one should be above the law. Salazar's position was echoed by John Andrews, a Republican former President of the Colorado Senate.
The 10th Circuit launched an inquiry of multiple complaints of misconduct. These included an affidavit from a prostitute that Judge Nottingham asked her to lie to investigators about their relationship. Associated Press reported that 10th Circuit released a document stating that the prostitute had made an allegation that Nottingham asked her to lie to investigators and that 10th Circuit Chief Judge Henry filed a complaint against Nottingham on Oct. 1. Judge Henry's complaint alleged that Nottingham had been a client of prostitution businesses, used his court-owned cell phone to call prostitutes, and lied during the investigation. Associated Press quoted Denver’s KUSA-TV reporting of allegations that Nottingham solicited prostitutes and asked one of them to lie about being a client. The station, again citing anonymous sources, also had reported that Nottingham’s name had turned up on a client list of a prostitution ring being investigated by the IRS.
Two former prostitutes told 9Wants to Know that Nottingham was a client of another escort agency called Bada Bing of Denver in 2003 and 2004. One of the women claims Nottingham drove her to his home in the Hilltop area in March. She says he made them both undress to make sure they weren't wearing wire. Then she says he told her to make up stories and lie to federal investigators about the true nature of their relationship. The woman did lie to an investigator and later filed a complaint with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. The former prostitute says she had sex with Nottingham for $250 to $300 an hour once a week from February 2003 through November 2004 at the former escort agency Bada Bing of Denver. The former prostitute says Nottingham helped her fabricate a story about how they knew each other so she would not tell investigators that he paid her for sex. The FBI has contacted the former prostitute and is looking into the allegations. Nottingham was previously investigated for allegedly appearing on a list of clients from another prostitution business, Denver Players.
A search warrant was served to Microsoft for email addresses used for prostitution in connection with the escort service Denver Players or Denver Sugar. 9Wants to Know has reported Federal Judge Edward Nottingham had ties to the escort service which catered to prominent clients including judges, lawyers, businessmen, athletes and politicians. Nottingham's full name and personal cell phone number appeared on a list of clients from a Denver prostitution business.
Nottingham resigned on October 21, 2008 without resolution of the complaints.
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
The United States District Court for the District of Colorado is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Colorado. The United States Congress organized Colorado as a single judicial district on June 26, 1876, by 19 Stat. 61...
having served in that office from November 24, 1989 until his resignation on October 21, 2008.
Early life, education, and career
Born in Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Nottingham was raised in Eagle County, Colorado
Eagle County, Colorado
Eagle County is the thirteenth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado in the United States. The county is named for the Eagle River. The county population was 41,659 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is the Town of Eagle...
. He received a bachelor's degree from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1969, and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Colorado School of Law
University of Colorado School of Law
The University of Colorado Law School is one of the professional graduate schools within the University of Colorado System. It is a public law school, with more than 500 students attending and working toward a Juris Doctor or Master of Law. The Wolf Law Building Located in Boulder, Colorado, and...
in 1972. Prior to his appointment as a judge, Nottingham was a local coordinator for Bush's 1988 presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 1988
The United States presidential election of 1988 featured no incumbent president, as President Ronald Reagan was unable to seek re-election after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-second Amendment. Reagan's Vice President, George H. W. Bush, won the Republican nomination, while the...
. From 1972 to 1973 he was a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Before becoming a judge, he spent a decade and a half in private practice in Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
, interrupted by a two year stint as an Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the District of Colorado from 1976 to 1978.
Federal judicial service
Nottingham was nominated to the court by President George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
on October 20, 1989, to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333. After a brief delay brought on by Senate efforts to block some Bush appointees, Nottingham was confirmed on by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on November 21, 1989, and received his commission on November 27, 1989.
During his nineteen-year tenure, Nottingham oversaw a number of high-profile cases, such as a copyright infringement case involving Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, a courageous ruling invalidating a law creating a federal "no-call list" for telemarketers which was ultimately overturned, and that of former Qwest
Qwest
Qwest Communications International, Inc. was a large United States telecommunications carrier. Qwest provided local service in 14 western U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.On April...
CEO Joe Nacchio for insider trading
Insider trading
Insider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
.
Although Nottingham's talent as a jurist was never in serious dispute, the consistency of his work and his judicial temperament were matters of widespread concern. On the one hand, the Denver Post reported that Nottingham had a reputation for judicial efficiency, and as "one of the best legal minds on the bench," . He received both notoriety and admiration for dressing down witnesses and demanding professionalism from attorneys .
Inquiry and resignation
Nottingham drew controversy over two incidents in 2007-2008, when it was revealed in his divorce case that the judge "spent $3,000 on strippers in one night"AP reported that the Diamond Cabaret manager Justin Frankell said the judge had visited the strip club on other occasions. They reported that 9 News reported that Nottingham said he could not remember the details of spending the $3,000 at the Diamond Cabaret on 9/05/05 because he had been drinking. The transcript also said Nottingham had paid $150 to use an Internet dating site, Ipayfriendfinder.com. His ex wife reported that she learned of the dating service calls when she mistakenly opened a bill, and immediately confronted her husband in his chambers. "When I asked about the dating service, he turned around in his chambers, and he hit his computer and he told me all about the dating service; it was a porn site."
On a separate occasion, Nottingham argued with a woman in a wheelchair because she said he illegally parked in a handicapped spot. Nottingham allegedly threatened to call the U.S. Marshals to deal with the handicapped woman.
The Associated Press reported that Nottingham was "under review by an appeals court over a complaint citing news media reports that he allegedly viewed adult Web sites on his government computer in his chambers".
Following these reports U.S. Senator Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
of Colorado called for the impeachment of Judge Nottingham, stating that no one should be above the law. Salazar's position was echoed by John Andrews, a Republican former President of the Colorado Senate.
The 10th Circuit launched an inquiry of multiple complaints of misconduct. These included an affidavit from a prostitute that Judge Nottingham asked her to lie to investigators about their relationship. Associated Press reported that 10th Circuit released a document stating that the prostitute had made an allegation that Nottingham asked her to lie to investigators and that 10th Circuit Chief Judge Henry filed a complaint against Nottingham on Oct. 1. Judge Henry's complaint alleged that Nottingham had been a client of prostitution businesses, used his court-owned cell phone to call prostitutes, and lied during the investigation. Associated Press quoted Denver’s KUSA-TV reporting of allegations that Nottingham solicited prostitutes and asked one of them to lie about being a client. The station, again citing anonymous sources, also had reported that Nottingham’s name had turned up on a client list of a prostitution ring being investigated by the IRS.
Two former prostitutes told 9Wants to Know that Nottingham was a client of another escort agency called Bada Bing of Denver in 2003 and 2004. One of the women claims Nottingham drove her to his home in the Hilltop area in March. She says he made them both undress to make sure they weren't wearing wire. Then she says he told her to make up stories and lie to federal investigators about the true nature of their relationship. The woman did lie to an investigator and later filed a complaint with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. The former prostitute says she had sex with Nottingham for $250 to $300 an hour once a week from February 2003 through November 2004 at the former escort agency Bada Bing of Denver. The former prostitute says Nottingham helped her fabricate a story about how they knew each other so she would not tell investigators that he paid her for sex. The FBI has contacted the former prostitute and is looking into the allegations. Nottingham was previously investigated for allegedly appearing on a list of clients from another prostitution business, Denver Players.
A search warrant was served to Microsoft for email addresses used for prostitution in connection with the escort service Denver Players or Denver Sugar. 9Wants to Know has reported Federal Judge Edward Nottingham had ties to the escort service which catered to prominent clients including judges, lawyers, businessmen, athletes and politicians. Nottingham's full name and personal cell phone number appeared on a list of clients from a Denver prostitution business.
Nottingham resigned on October 21, 2008 without resolution of the complaints.