J. Paul Oetken
Encyclopedia
James Paul Oetken known professionally as J. Paul Oetken, is a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
. He was confirmed on July 18, 2011 in an 80–13 vote and received his commission on July 20, 2011. He is the first openly
gay
man to serve on the federal bench.
. He was valedictorian and class president at Regis High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1988 from the University of Iowa
and a law degree
in 1991 from Yale Law School
.
From 1991 until 1992, Oetken served as a law clerk for Judge Richard Cudahy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
, and from 1992 until 1993, he served as a law clerk to Judge Louis F. Oberdorfer
on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
. From 1993 until 1994, Oetken served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Harry Blackmun
on the United States Supreme Court.
. In 1997, he joined the Office of Legal Counsel
in the United States Department of Justice
as an attorney-advisor, where he worked until becoming an Associate Counsel to the President of the United States in the office of the White House Counsel
in 1999. He held that job until President Bill Clinton left office in 2001.
From 2001 until 2003, Oetken worked as an associate at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton
, and from 2003 until 2004, he was counsel.
In 2004, Oetken joined Cablevision Systems Corporation as its associate general counsel, until leaving to join the federal bench in 2011.
to replace Judge Denny Chin
, whom Obama previously appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
. Oetken had been recommended to the post by New York Senator Charles Schumer
.
Oetken is openly gay
. He lives with his partner Makky Pratayot in Manhattan. Schumer stated that diversity was a consideration in his recommendations for federal judgeships, and that he was "shocked to learn" that no openly gay men had served on the federal bench.
The full United States Senate confirmed Oetken on July 18, 2011 in an 80–13 vote. He received his commission on July 20, 2011. Oetken is the second openly gay Article III judge
in the country, after Deborah Batts
.
Schumer recommended Oetken a year after he recommended former Assistant United States Attorney
Daniel S. Alter, also openly gay, whom the White House declined to nominate after concluding, because of statements that had been attributed to Alter, that his nomination was unlikely to survive the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster
in the Senate.
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
. He was confirmed on July 18, 2011 in an 80–13 vote and received his commission on July 20, 2011. He is the first openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
man to serve on the federal bench.
Early life and education
Oetken was born in 1965 in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. He was valedictorian and class president at Regis High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1988 from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and a law degree
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...
in 1991 from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
.
From 1991 until 1992, Oetken served as a law clerk for Judge Richard Cudahy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois...
, and from 1992 until 1993, he served as a law clerk to Judge Louis F. Oberdorfer
Louis F. Oberdorfer
Louis Falk Oberdorfer was a United States Supreme Court clerk, attorney, Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice Tax Division, civil rights worker, and district court judge....
on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...
. From 1993 until 1994, Oetken served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Harry Blackmun
Harry Blackmun
Harold Andrew Blackmun was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1970 until 1994. He is best known as the author of Roe v. Wade.- Early years and professional career :...
on the United States Supreme Court.
Professional career
From 1994 until 1996 or 1997, Oetken worked as an associate with the law firm of Jenner & BlockJenner & Block
Jenner & Block is a U.S. law firm with offices in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. Approximately 450 attorneys serve a wide range of clients in corporate litigation, business transactions, and in the public sector. Jerold S. Solovy was the longtime Chair of the firm, but on Sept...
. In 1997, he joined the Office of Legal Counsel
Office of Legal Counsel
The Office of Legal Counsel is an office in the United States Department of Justice that assists the Attorney General in his function as legal adviser to the President and all executive branch agencies.-History:...
in the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
as an attorney-advisor, where he worked until becoming an Associate Counsel to the President of the United States in the office of the White House Counsel
White House Counsel
The White House Counsel is a staff appointee of the President of the United States.-Role:The Counsel's role is to advise the President on all legal issues concerning the President and the White House...
in 1999. He held that job until President Bill Clinton left office in 2001.
From 2001 until 2003, Oetken worked as an associate at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton
Debevoise & Plimpton
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a prominent international law firm based in New York City. Founded in 1931 by Eli Whitney Debevoise and William Stevenson, Debevoise has been a long established leader in corporate litigation and large financial transactions. In recent years, its practice has taken on an...
, and from 2003 until 2004, he was counsel.
In 2004, Oetken joined Cablevision Systems Corporation as its associate general counsel, until leaving to join the federal bench in 2011.
Nomination to federal district court
On January 26, 2011, President Barack Obama nominated Oetken to serve on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
to replace Judge Denny Chin
Denny Chin
Denny Chin is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He was a judge on the United States district court for the Southern District of New York before joining the federal appeals bench. President Clinton nominated Chin to the district court on March 24, 1994, and...
, whom Obama previously appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals...
. Oetken had been recommended to the post by New York Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
.
Oetken is openly gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
. He lives with his partner Makky Pratayot in Manhattan. Schumer stated that diversity was a consideration in his recommendations for federal judgeships, and that he was "shocked to learn" that no openly gay men had served on the federal bench.
The full United States Senate confirmed Oetken on July 18, 2011 in an 80–13 vote. He received his commission on July 20, 2011. Oetken is the second openly gay Article III judge
Article I and Article III tribunals
In the United States, the American legal system includes both state courts and United States federal courts. The federal tribunals may be an Article III tribunal or another adjudicative body classified as an Article I or an Article IV tribunal...
in the country, after Deborah Batts
Deborah Batts
Deborah A. Batts is a United States federal judge, currently serving on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In June 1994, Deborah Batts was sworn in as a Federal District Judge for Manhattan, becoming the nation's first openly LGBT, African-American federal judge...
.
Schumer recommended Oetken a year after he recommended former 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...
Daniel S. Alter, also openly gay, whom the White House declined to nominate after concluding, because of statements that had been attributed to Alter, that his nomination was unlikely to survive the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster
Filibuster
A filibuster is a type of parliamentary procedure. Specifically, it is the right of an individual to extend debate, allowing a lone member to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal...
in the Senate.