Stephan P. Mickle
Encyclopedia
Stephan P. Mickle is an American lawyer
and judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
.
Mickle was born in New York City
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
degree
in 1965 and his M.Ed.
in 1966 from the University of Florida
, and his J.D.
from the University of Florida College of Law in 1970. He was the first black student to graduate from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in political science and the second black student to graduate from the University of Florida College of Law.
Mickle worked briefly an attorney in the Office of Legal Services at the U.S. Office of Equal Opportunity
in Washington, D.C.
in 1970 and in private practice
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
. He returned in Gainesville
in 1971, when he became an adjunct professor at the University of Florida College of Law, a post he still holds today, and entered private practice as the first black
lawyer in Alachua County
. Mickle was also a special assistant public defender
for the Eighth Judicial Circuit
in 1974.
Mickle was a judge on the Alachua County Court
from 1979 to 1984 and was a circuit judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit from 1984 to 1992. He served as a judge of the Florida First District Court of Appeal
from 1993 to 1998.
President
Bill Clinton
nominated Mickle to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida on January 27, 1998, to the seat vacated by Maurice M. Paul
. Confirmed
by the Senate
on May 14, 1998, he received commission
on May 22, 1998.
Mickle was the first black man to receive University of Florida's Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999.
In 2009 Judge Mickle was elevated to the position of Chief Judge of the Northern District of Florida. He assumed senior status on June 22, 2011.
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 judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida is the federal United States district court with jurisdiction over the northern part of the state of Florida....
.
Mickle was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
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...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in 1965 and his M.Ed.
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
in 1966 from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and his 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 Florida College of Law in 1970. He was the first black student to graduate from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in political science and the second black student to graduate from the University of Florida College of Law.
Mickle worked briefly an attorney in the Office of Legal Services at the U.S. Office of Equal Opportunity
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1970 and in private practice
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
. He returned in Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
in 1971, when he became an adjunct professor at the University of Florida College of Law, a post he still holds today, and entered private practice as 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...
lawyer in Alachua County
Alachua County, Florida
Alachua County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 227,120. Its county seat is Gainesville, Florida. Alachua County is the home of the University of Florida and is also known for its diverse culture, local music, and artisans...
. Mickle was also a special assistant 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...
for the Eighth Judicial Circuit
Florida Circuit Courts
The Florida Circuit Courts are state courts. They are trial courts of original jurisdiction for most controversies. In Florida, the circuit courts are one of four types of courts created by the Florida Constitution .The Circuit Courts primarily handle civil cases where...
in 1974.
Mickle was a judge on the Alachua County Court
County Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
from 1979 to 1984 and was a circuit judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit from 1984 to 1992. He served as a judge of the Florida First District Court of Appeal
Florida First District Court of Appeal
The Florida First District Court of Appeal, also known as the First DCA, is headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida. It is unique among the five Florida District Courts of Appeal in that, much like the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit at the federal level, it handles most of the appeals in...
from 1993 to 1998.
President
President 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....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
nominated Mickle to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida on January 27, 1998, to the seat vacated by Maurice M. Paul
Maurice M. Paul
Maurice Mitchell Paul is an American lawyer and a current judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida....
. 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 14, 1998, he 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 22, 1998.
Mickle was the first black man to receive University of Florida's Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999.
In 2009 Judge Mickle was elevated to the position of Chief Judge of the Northern District of Florida. He assumed senior status on June 22, 2011.