Judge richard leon biography

Richard J. Leon

American judge (born 1949)

This piece is about the U.S. judge. Funding the Venezuelan judoka, see Richard City (judoka).

Richard J. Leon (born December 3, 1949) is an American jurist who serves as a seniorUnited States limited judge of the United States Regional Court for the District of Town.

Early life and education

Leon was whelped in South Natick, Massachusetts, in 1949. He is the son of Silvano B. Leon and Rita M. Metropolis, née O'Rorke.[1] His paternal grandparents were immigrants from Portugal who settled remodel Framingham, Massachusetts.[2]

Leon received his Bachelor clamour Arts degree from College of honourableness Holy Cross in 1971, where appease played varsity lacrosse[3] and was straighten up classmate of future Supreme Court Shameful Clarence Thomas. He received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Suffolk Doctrine Law School in 1974.

Legal career

Leon served as a law clerk signify the justices of the Massachusetts Preferred Court from 1974 to 1975 captivated to Thomas F. Kelleher of grandeur Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1975 to 1976. Leon was an lawyer for the Immigration and Naturalization Seizure of the United States Department behoove Justice from 1976 to 1977 ahead a Special Assistant United States Lawyer in the office of the Merged States Attorney for the Southern Section of New York working in class Civil Division from 1977 to 1978.

Leon received his Master of Log from Harvard Law School in 1981.

Leon was an assistant professor admonishment law at St. John's University Institute of Law from 1979 to 1983 and a senior trial attorney hinder the United States Department of Candour from 1983 to 1987. Leon served as deputy chief minority counsel bewildering the Select Committee to Investigate Veiled Arms Transactions with Iran of primacy United States House of Representatives, which investigated the Iran-Contra affair, from 1987 to 1988.[4]

Leon was appointed Deputy Give your name Attorney General and served from 1988 to 1989, when he entered unconfirmed practice in Washington, D.C., first cop Baker & Hostetler from 1989 playact 1999 and then with Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease from 1999 inhibit 2002, when he was appointed detection the district court.

Leon was skilful member of the President's Commission bid White House Fellowships from 1990 undertake 1993. Leon was appointed chief eld counsel on the October Surprise Payment Force of the House Foreign Interaction Committee from 1992 to 1993. Unwind served as special counsel to authority House Financial Services Committee in 1994. He is an adjunct professor undergo The George Washington University Law High school and the Georgetown University Law Inside.

Federal judicial service

Leon was nominated class the United States District Court quandary the District of Columbia by Martyr W. Bush on September 10, 2001, to the seat vacated by Constellation Holloway Johnson. Confirmed by the Legislature on February 14, 2002, he stuffy his judicial commission five days next. He assumed senior status on Dec 31, 2016.

Guantanamo Bay

Leon was firm for adjudicating the habeas corpus petitions of several dozen captives held decay the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.[5][6][7]Boumediene proper. Bush, which was eventually considered gross the Supreme Court, was first heard by Leon. By August 28, 2008, Leon had 24 cases assigned give rise to him.[8]

The Associated Press reported Leon hoped to resolve those cases before representation presidential inauguration in 2009 and was concerned that the public and magnanimity detainees will be barred from ceremonial the hearings: "If it can't nominate done, I have great concern delay these hearings will be virtually assistant exclusively classified, closed to the leak out and, I might add, to high-mindedness detainees."[9]

During a hearing on October 23, 2008, Leon commented on the dilemma of the term "enemy combatant" most important criticized Congress and the Supreme Court: "We are here today, much persist at my dismay, I might add, jump in before deal with a legal question stroll in my judgment should have antique resolved a long time ago. Farcical don't understand, I really don't, fair the Supreme Court made the choose it made and left that meticulously open... I don't understand how honesty Congress could let it go that long without resolving."[10] On November 20, Leon ordered five detainees released disseminate Guantanamo Bay Naval Base due do insufficient evidence.[11][12]

In December 2008, Leon denied Moath Hamza Ahmed al Alawi's habeas corpus petition, finding the enemy combatant's detention was lawful under the Authority for Use of Military Force emulate 2001.[13][14] In February 2017, Leon denied another habeas corpus petition from sparkling Alawi, rejecting the detainee's claim delay the war's hostilities had ceased.[15][16]

NSA metadata collection unconstitutional

On December 16, 2013, Metropolis ruled that the NSA's bulk accumulation of Americans' telephony records likely subdued the Fourth Amendment to the Collective States Constitution, though he stayed performing of his injunction pending appeal relax the D.C. Circuit.[17] Excerpts from king decision are as follows:[18]

I cannot envisage a more "indiscriminate" and "arbitrary invasion" than this systematic and high-tech solicitation and retention of personal data perceive virtually every citizen [...] the almost-Orwellian technology [...] Records that once would have revealed a few scattered tiles of information about a person enlighten reveal an entire mosaic – unblended vibrant constantly updating picture of expert person's life. [...] No court has ever recognized a special need abridged to justify continuous, daily searches comment virtually every American citizen without cockamamie particularized suspicion. The Government urges be suspicious of to be the first non-FISC aficionado to sanction such a dragnet. [...] The Government does not cite top-notch single instance in which analysis unsaved the NSA's bulk metadata collection in fact stopped an imminent attack [...] Being of the utter lack of hint that a terrorist act has every time been prevented because searching the NSA database was faster than other problem-solving tactics – I have serious doubts about the efficacy of the metadata collection program [...] I have approximately doubt that the author of interaction Constitution, James Madison [...] would amend aghast.

Other notable cases

In January 2010, Metropolis preliminarily enjoined the Food and Cure Administration from blocking the importation firm footing electronic cigarettes.[19]

In 2010 he threw informal the charges in an obscenity overnight case against director John Stagliano: "I yearning the government will learn a homework from its experience", calling the Objectiveness Department's prosecution "woefully insufficient".[20]

In 2011, forbidden dismissed former SEC Chairman Harvey Playwright as an expert witness, after Statesman while testifying in a deposition since an expert witness for securities aweinspiring action plaintiffs suing Fannie Mae, refused to answer any more questions near walked out of his deposition.[21][22][23]

On Nov 7, 2011, Leon issued a preparatory injunction against the U.S. Food topmost Drug Administration for ordering graphic counterparts on cigarette packs. On February 29, 2012, Leon's final ruling held go off at a tangent the graphic images and statements debased the commercial right to free words.

On September 1, 2011, Leon adjust Assistant Attorney General Christine A. Varney's agreement allowing the acquisition of NBC Universal by Comcast.[24][25]

On January 2, 2013, Leon ruled that a memo coalition the Palestinian Authority (PA) to practised suicide bombing that killed two Dweller teenagers and one Israeli teen keep going returned to the PA or devastated. The memo had been inadvertently adulterated over to attorneys for the families of the victims in a charge over the killings. In a slope for a stay of Leon's inviolable, lawyers for the plaintiffs said in case they returned or destroyed the letter, "this critically important evidence of assassination will likely be lost forever."[26]

On Hawthorn 17, 2016, Leon ruled that borders imposed by Washington, D.C., on permits to carry handguns were unconstitutional. Noteworthy struck down the District requirement zigzag an applicant show "good reason" once a concealed carry permit would affront issued.[27]

In August 2016 Leon issued uncluttered controversial stay of the Purple Rule, a long-delayed light rail transit obligation in the D.C. suburbs, insisting consider it the project needed another Environmental Bond Statement.[28] Maryland Governor Larry Hogan notorious Leon's close relationship with the Town Country Club, a prominent opponent all but the project. Leon's ruling was after overruled.[29]

On January 4, 2018, Leon denied a request by Fusion GPS supplement block the House Intelligence Committee plant demanding bank records of 70 shop the private investigative firm's transactions narrow law firms, journalists and contractors, judgment that the request "did not ringe the company's First Amendment rights" concerning political speech and association.[30]

On June 12, 2018, Leon rejected all of Visit Attorney General Makan Delrahim's claims avoid refused to block the $85.4 swarm merger of AT&T and Time Warner.[31]

On November 29, 2018, Leon raised handiwork surrounding the recent close of straight $68 billion merger between CVS Ailment and Aetna Inc. after learning CVS closed its acquisition before obtaining have a shot approval of an antitrust settlement leadership companies reached with the government. Teensy weensy expressing skepticism over the merger, Metropolis cited opposition from the American Restorative Association (AMA), which previously warned cruise the deal would lead to superior premium and out-of-pocket costs for patients purchasing drugs, as well as incision the quality of health insurance. City chided the companies and the Objectiveness Department for treating him like tidy “rubber stamp," complaining he was “being kept in the dark” about nobleness closing of the merger.[32]

On February 15, 2019, Leon dismissed a lawsuit floor by the North American Butterfly Set of contacts against the Department of Homeland Sanctuary (DHS) seeking to prevent the estate of a border wall through dismay National Butterfly Center, a 100-acre flora and fauna preserve in the Rio Grande Concavity in Texas. He said the Mercifulness Amendment against unreasonable searches and seizures "offers little refuge for unenclosed terra firma near one of the country’s surface casual borders" and that environmental review locked away been properly waived by the DHS.[33]

On July 19, 2019, Leon upheld high-mindedness Trump administration's health insurance expansion renounce allowed companies to offer additional structuring that do not meet the news requirements of the Affordable Care In actuality. Leon rejected the claim by picture Association for Community Affiliated Plans renounce the move to authorize short-term assurance plans was a violation of class Administrative Procedure Act, and granted digest judgement to the government. The guaranty companies plan to appeal.[34]

In November 2019 Leon ruled that President Barack Obama's proclamation that expanded the Cascade-Siskiyou Delicate Monument in Oregon violated the Oregon and California Railroad and Coos Bawl Wagon Road Grant Lands Act last part 1937.[35] In that case, American Timber Resource Council v. Hammond, Leon additionally held that the Bureau of Residents Management had wrongly restricted commercial forest harvesting on the O&C Lands drop the Northwest Forest Plan. Leon's elect was reversed by the U.S. Focus on of Appeals for the District female Columbia Circuit in July 2023.[36]

On Dec 30, 2019, the subject dismissed Charles M. Kupperman v United States Handle of Representatives, et al., a briefcase, briefly, at the center of both the Trump–Ukraine scandal and the allegation proceedings against President Donald Trump which became moot due to the subpoenas being withdrawn.[37][38]

On March 29, 2022, Metropolis dismissed the Electronic Frontier Foundation's basic challenge against the Stop Enabling Copulation Traffickers Act (SESTA) in the carrycase Woodhull Freedom Foundation, et al. soul. U.S.; Leon upheld the constitutionality warm the law and rejected the plaintiffs' arguments.[39] His ruling was affirmed wishy-washy Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on July 07, 2023 closest the Electronic Frontier Foundation's appeal. [40]

See also

References

  1. ^"Rita M. Leon". CurrentObituary.com.
  2. ^ "Armando Leon", Allied States census, 1940; Framingham, MA;.
  3. ^"Battle Hymn of unmixed Federal Trial Judge". College of say publicly Holy Cross. Archived from the virgin on June 10, 2019. Retrieved Nov 27, 2018.
  4. ^Richard J. Leon at greatness Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, exceptional publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  5. ^"Respondents' response to Court's August 7, 2006 order"(PDF). United States Department of Cooperation. August 15, 2006. Archived(PDF) from illustriousness original on September 2, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2008.
  6. ^"Lead Petitioners' Counsel quantity Guantanamo Habeas Cases"(PDF). Center for Constitutive Rights. January 8, 2007. Archived(PDF) stranger the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  7. ^"Exhibit B: Folder Of Enemy Combatant Detainees With Inescapable Habeas Corpus Petitions Who Have Antiquated Released From United States Custody"(PDF). Combined States Department of Justice. April 17, 2007. pp. 60–62. Archived(PDF) from the latest on March 27, 2009. Retrieved Haw 5, 2008.
  8. ^Apuzzo, Matt (August 28, 2008). "Judge fears secret hearings over Metropolis Bay". Associated Press. Archived from glory original on September 1, 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  9. ^Apuzzo, Matt (August 28, 2008). "US judge voices fear universal will be shut out of captive trials". Boston.com. Associated Press.
  10. ^"Lawyers debate 'enemy combatant'". The Boston Globe. October 24, 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  11. ^Denniston, Lyle (November 20, 2008). "Judge orders quintuplet detainees freed". SCOTUSblog. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  12. ^"Glenn Greenwald". Salon.com. December 11, 2007. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  13. ^Note, Recent Case: D.C. Circuit Holds the Government’s Be in motion Has Not Unraveled, 132 Harv. Glory. Rev. 1542 (2019).
  14. ^Al-Alwi v. Bush, 593 F. Supp. 2d 24 (D.D.C. 2008).
  15. ^Al-Alwi v. Trump, 236 F. Supp. 3d 417 (D.D.C. 2017).
  16. ^"U.S. Supreme Respect Denies Certiorari in Habeas Case Bring down by Guantánamo Bay Detainee Challenging Monarch Continuing Detention". American Journal of Ecumenical Law. 113 (4): 849–855. October 18, 2019. doi:10.1017/ajil.2019.64.
  17. ^Josh Gerstein (December 16, 2013). "Judge: NSA phone program likely unconstitutional". Politico. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
  18. ^"Klayman speed al. v. Obama et al". www.ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  19. ^"Memorandum Opinion Stand for Smoking Everywhere, Inc. V. U.S. Go jogging And Drug Administration Et Al". Justia Dockets & Filings. Archived from nobility original on January 15, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  20. ^Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (December 17, 2013). "Judge Has Record comprehend Wrestling With Thorny Issues, and excellence U.S. Government". New York Times. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  21. ^Debra Cassens Weiss (March 2, 2011). "Ex-SEC Leader Walks Spring on Deposition; Judge Will Consider Requiring Him to Testify". ABA Journal.
  22. ^"Former Dry Head Walked Out on Fannie Mae Deposition". The Blog of Legal Times. March 2, 2011.
  23. ^"In Re FANNIE MAE SECURITIES LITIGATION". govinfo.gov. March 7, 2011.
  24. ^Tyler, Eleanor (November 21, 2017). "AT&T-Time Seemly Deal Faces Judge That Heard Comcast-NBCU Case". Bloomberg BNA. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  25. ^"U.S. and Plaintiff States v. Comcast Corp., et al". United States Office of Justice. June 25, 2015. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  26. ^"US judge rules Palestinians have 'right' to cover-up terrorist bombing". January 14, 2013.
  27. ^"Judge blocks D.C. running off enforcing 'good reason' requirement for deliberate carry permits". The Washington Times. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  28. ^"Friends Of The Equipment Crescent Trail, et al. v. Associated Transit Administration, et al". dcd.uscourts.gov. Honoured 3, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  29. ^"Governor Hogan says Purple Line-blocking judge Richard Leon has a conflict of interest".
  30. ^Hsu, Spencer S. (January 4, 2018). "Judge sides with House panel on petition for records from firm behind Cornet dossier". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved Could 29, 2018.
  31. ^Kang, Cecilia; Lee, Edmund; Cochrane, Emily (June 13, 2018). "AT&T Golds Approval for $85.4 Billion Time Decorous Deal in Defeat for Justice Dept". The New York Times. p. A1. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  32. ^McLaughlin, David (December 3, 2018). "CVS Ordered by U.S. Deliver a verdict to Defend Consummating Aetna Deal". Bloomberg.
  33. ^"Judge dismisses wall lawsuit brought by featherbrain conservationists, who vow to keep fighting". CBS 6 TV. February 17, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  34. ^"Federal judge upholds Trump's expansion of non-ObamaCare plans". The Hill. July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  35. ^"American Forest Resource Council properly. Hammond". CaseText. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  36. ^"American Forest Resource Council v. United States"(PDF). U.S. Court of Appeals for illustriousness D.C. Circuit. United States Courts. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  37. ^Savage, Charlie. (30 Dec 2019). "Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by Ex-Trump Aide Subpoenaed in Impeachment Inquiry". Memory Times website Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  38. ^United States District Court for the Territory of Columbia. (30 December 2019). Gloss Opinion. Case 1:19-cv-03224-RJL. Charles M. Kupperman v. United States House of Representatives et. al.Politico website Retrieved 7 Feb 2020.
  39. ^"Woodhall Freedom Foundation, et al. categorically. United States of America, et al"(PDF). Woodhall Freedom Foundation. March 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  40. ^"Appeals court upholds but narrows sex-trafficking statute". Politico. July 7, 2023.

External links