Marcia G. Cooke
Encyclopedia
Marcia Gail Cooke is an American lawyer
and district judge
for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
. She joined the court in 2004 after being nominated by President George W. Bush
.
. She graduated from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service
in 1975 and from Wayne State University Law School
with a J.D.
in 1977.
from 1978 to 1979 and was a deputy public defender
of the Legal Aid and Defender Association in Michigan from 1979-1980. Cooke served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. From 1983 to 1984 Cooke was in private practice in Michigan with the firm
of Miro, Miro and Weiner. Cooke served as a magistrate judge
for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
from 1984 to 1992.
In 1992 Cooke served as director of professional development
and training at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida
. From 1992 to 1994 she was the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, before returning to her director of professional development and training from 1994 to 1999. Cooke served as chief inspector general
for the Executive Office of the Governor of Florida under Jeb Bush
from 1999 to 2002. From 2002 to 2004 she was assistant county attorney
in Miami-Dade County.
George W. Bush
nominated Cooke to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
on November 25, 2003, to the seat vacated by Wilkie D. Ferguson
. She was confirmed
by the Senate
on May 18, 2004, Cooke received commission
on May 18, 2004. She is the first black
woman federal judge
in Florida
. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-06-08-federal-judge_x.htm
Cooke presided over the trial of José Padilla in 2007.
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
and district judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is the federal United States district court with jurisdiction over the southern part of the state of Florida....
. She joined the court in 2004 after being nominated 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....
.
Early life and education
Cooke was born in 1954 in Sumter, South CarolinaSumter, South Carolina
-Demographics:, there were 59,180 people, 34,717 households, and 4,049 families living in the city. The population density was 4,469.5 people per square mile . There were 416,032 housing units at an average density of 603.0 per square mile...
. She graduated from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service is a school within Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States. Jesuit priest Edmund A...
with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in 1975 and from Wayne State University Law School
Wayne State University Law School
Wayne State University Law School is located in the City of Detroit’s Cultural Center, and is one of the schools of Wayne State University. It is one of two public law schools in the state of Michigan. The Law School has educated and trained lawyers since 1927, and its 10,000+ alumni serve as...
with 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...
in 1977.
Legal career
Cooke was a staff attorney for Neighborhood Legal Services in MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
from 1978 to 1979 and was a deputy public defender
Public defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
of the Legal Aid and Defender Association in Michigan from 1979-1980. Cooke served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. From 1983 to 1984 Cooke was in private practice in Michigan with the firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Miro, Miro and Weiner. Cooke served as a magistrate judge
United States magistrate judge
In the United States federal courts, magistrate judges are appointed to assist United States district court judges in the performance of their duties...
for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over of the eastern portion of the state of Michigan. The Court is based in Detroit, with courthouses also located in Ann Arbor, Bay City, Flint, and Port Huron...
from 1984 to 1992.
In 1992 Cooke served as director of professional development
Professional development
Professional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning...
and training at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida is the United States Attorney responsible for representing the federal government in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida....
. From 1992 to 1994 she was the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, before returning to her director of professional development and training from 1994 to 1999. Cooke served as chief inspector general
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
for the Executive Office of the Governor of Florida under Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
from 1999 to 2002. From 2002 to 2004 she was assistant county attorney
County attorney
A county attorney in many areas of the United States is the chief legal officer for a county or local judicial district. It is usually an elected position...
in Miami-Dade County.
Federal Judicial Career
PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
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....
nominated Cooke to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is the federal United States district court with jurisdiction over the southern part of the state of Florida....
on November 25, 2003, to the seat vacated by Wilkie D. Ferguson
Wilkie D. Ferguson
Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. was an American lawyer and judge. He served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the Florida Third District Court of Appeal as well as the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida.- Background :Ferguson was born in Miami, to Bahamian...
. She was confirmed
Advice and consent
Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts, describing a situation in which the executive branch of a government enacts something previously approved of by the legislative branch.-General:The expression is...
by the 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 May 18, 2004, Cooke received commission
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
on May 18, 2004. She is the first black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
woman federal judge
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 Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-06-08-federal-judge_x.htm
Cooke presided over the trial of José Padilla in 2007.