Julia Smith Gibbons
Encyclopedia
Julia Smith Gibbons is a federal judge
on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
.
from Vanderbilt University
and a J.D.
from the University of Virginia School of Law
. After graduation, she served as a law clerk to Sixth Circuit Judge William Ernest Miller
. She was in private practice from 1976-1979 before joining Governor Lamar Alexander's
staff as a legal advisor in 1979. In 1981, she left the Governor's staff to become a state trial judge in Tennessee
.
Gibbons was first appointed to the federal bench by President Ronald Reagan
on June 7, 1983. She served as a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
until her appointment by President George W. Bush
to the Sixth Circuit.
. She was confirmed 95-0 by the United States Senate
on July 29, 2002. Gibbons was the first judge nominated to the Sixth Circuit by Bush and confirmed by the Senate.
, is the District Attorney General of Shelby County, Tennessee
, the county that contains Memphis, Tennessee
. Bill Gibbons
was a 2010 Republican
gubernatorial candidate for the state of Tennessee.
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....
on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
.
Background
Julia Gibbons grew up in the rural Tennessee town of Pulaski. Gibbons received a B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
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 Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
. After graduation, she served as a law clerk to Sixth Circuit Judge William Ernest Miller
William Ernest Miller
William Ernest Miller was a United States federal judge.Born in Johnson City, Tennessee, Miller received an A.B. from the University of Tennessee in 1930 and an LL.B. from Yale Law School in 1933. He was in private practice in Johnson City, Tennessee from 1933 to 1955...
. She was in private practice from 1976-1979 before joining Governor Lamar Alexander's
Lamar Alexander
Andrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...
staff as a legal advisor in 1979. In 1981, she left the Governor's staff to become a state trial judge in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Gibbons was first appointed to the federal bench by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
on June 7, 1983. She served as a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
The United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee is the Federal district court covering the western part of the state of Tennessee. Appeals from the Western District of Tennessee are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit The United States District...
until her appointment by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to the Sixth Circuit.
Sixth Circuit nomination and confirmation
Gibbons was nominated to the Sixth Circuit by Bush on October 9, 2001 to fill a seat vacated by Judge Gilbert Stroud Merritt, Jr., who had assumed Senior statusSenior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
. She was confirmed 95-0 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 July 29, 2002. Gibbons was the first judge nominated to the Sixth Circuit by Bush and confirmed by the Senate.
Personal
Her husband, Bill GibbonsBill Gibbons
Bill Gibbons is the current Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner for the State of Tennessee. He was appointed to the post by the current Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam. He is a former District Attorney General of the 30th Judicial District of Tennessee, which includes Shelby County and the...
, is the District Attorney General of Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the state's largest both in terms of population and geographic area, with a population of 927,644 at the 2010 census...
, the county that contains Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. Bill Gibbons
Bill Gibbons
Bill Gibbons is the current Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner for the State of Tennessee. He was appointed to the post by the current Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam. He is a former District Attorney General of the 30th Judicial District of Tennessee, which includes Shelby County and the...
was a 2010 Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
gubernatorial candidate for the state of Tennessee.