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After clerking for [[United States District Court for the Central District of California]] Judge [[Robert J. Kelleher]] (1971–72), he practiced in San Francisco at [[Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro]].
After clerking for [[United States District Court for the Central District of California]] Judge [[Robert J. Kelleher]] (1971–72), he practiced in San Francisco at [[Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro]].


Walker was originally nominated to the bench by [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1987. However, this nomination stalled in the [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] because of controversy over his representation of the [[United States Olympic Committee]] in a lawsuit that prohibited the use of the title "[[Gay Olympics]]".<ref name="egelko">{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/09/01/BAGIL8HGVF1.DTL |title=Walker becomes chief district judge |last=Egelko |first=Bob |date=2004-09-01 |publisher=''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' |accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> Two dozen House Democrats, led by Rep. [[Nancy Pelosi]] of [[San Francisco]], opposed his nomination because of his perceived "insensitivity" to gays and the poor.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-02-09/opinion/17872020_1_anti-gay-san-francisco-gay-olympic-games|title=Gay judge has proven record of impartiality |work=The San Francisco Chronicle |format=editorial |date=February 9, 2010 |accessdate=February 21, 2010 }}</ref> Judge Walker is himself gay.<ref>{{cite news|date=07 February 2010 |url=http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-02-07/bay-area/17848482_1_same-sex-marriage-sexual-orientation-judge-walker|accessdate=2010-11-03}}</ref>
Walker was originally nominated to the bench by [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1987. However, this nomination stalled in the [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] because of controversy over his representation of the [[United States Olympic Committee]] in a lawsuit that prohibited the use of the title "[[Gay Olympics]]".<ref name="egelko">{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/09/01/BAGIL8HGVF1.DTL |title=Walker becomes chief district judge |last=Egelko |first=Bob |date=2004-09-01 |publisher=''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' |accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> Two dozen House Democrats, led by Rep. [[Nancy Pelosi]] of [[San Francisco]], opposed his nomination because of his perceived "insensitivity" to gays and the poor.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-02-09/opinion/17872020_1_anti-gay-san-francisco-gay-olympic-games|title=Gay judge has proven record of impartiality |work=The San Francisco Chronicle |format=editorial |date=February 9, 2010 |accessdate=February 21, 2010 }}</ref> Judge Walker is himself gay.<ref>{{cite news |date=07 February 2010 |url=http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-02-07/bay-area/17848482_1_same-sex-marriage-sexual-orientation-judge-walker|accessdate=2010-11-03}}</ref>


On September 7, 1989, Walker was re-nominated by President [[George H. W. Bush]] to the seat on the [[United States District Court|federal district court]] vacated by [[Spencer M. Williams]].<ref name="FJC"/> Walker was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 21, 1989, on unanimous consent and received his commission on November 27, 1989.
On September 7, 1989, Walker was re-nominated by President [[George H. W. Bush]] to the seat on the [[United States District Court|federal district court]] vacated by [[Spencer M. Williams]].<ref name="FJC"/> Walker was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 21, 1989, on unanimous consent and received his commission on November 27, 1989.

Revision as of 13:11, 3 November 2010

Vaughn Walker
Chief Judge of the District Court for the Northern District of California
Assumed office
October 30, 2004
Preceded byMarilyn Hall Patel
Judge of the District Court for the Northern District of California
Assumed office
November 27, 1989
Nominated byGeorge H. W. Bush
Preceded bySpencer Williams
Personal details
Born1944 (age 79–80)
Watseka, United States
Alma materUniversity of Michigan
Stanford Law School
Signature

Vaughn R. Walker (born 1944) is an American jurist who currently serves as Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Biography

Walker was born in Watseka, Illinois, in 1944. He graduated from the University of Michigan (1966) and Stanford Law School (1970).[1]

After clerking for United States District Court for the Central District of California Judge Robert J. Kelleher (1971–72), he practiced in San Francisco at Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro.

Walker was originally nominated to the bench by Ronald Reagan in 1987. However, this nomination stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee because of controversy over his representation of the United States Olympic Committee in a lawsuit that prohibited the use of the title "Gay Olympics".[2] Two dozen House Democrats, led by Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, opposed his nomination because of his perceived "insensitivity" to gays and the poor.[3] Judge Walker is himself gay.[4]

On September 7, 1989, Walker was re-nominated by President George H. W. Bush to the seat on the federal district court vacated by Spencer M. Williams.[1] Walker was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 21, 1989, on unanimous consent and received his commission on November 27, 1989.

On September 29, 2010, the U.S. District Court announced that Walker will retire at the end of the year and go to the private sector.[5]

Views

Walker generally believes in a legal approach known as law and economics.[6]

Walker has been called an "unorthodox" and "independent-minded conservative" judge. He has called for some unusual policies including the auctioning of lead counsel status in securities class action suits and for the legalization of drugs.[2]

A San Francisco Chronicle columnist and reporter wrote in a commentary that Walker has an "aversion to harsh sentences for well-educated, well-heeled criminals and, in particular, perpetrators of securities fraud."[7]

The New York Times at the time of his initial Reagan nomination stated he was active in Republican politics;[8] Wired magazine describes Walker as having libertarian leanings.[9]

Cases

Walker has presided over such notable cases as lawsuits over NSA warrantless surveillance;[10] the criminal sentencing of radio host Bernie Ward; the breach of TD Ameritrade's customer information database; the Apple Computer, Inc. v. Microsoft Corporation copyright infringement case;[11] antitrust litigation over the Hearst Corporation's purchase of the San Francisco Chronicle; and Oracle's merger/hostile takeover of PeopleSoft, which was approved despite Justice Department opposition.[12]

On January 11, 2010, Walker began hearing arguments for Perry v. Schwarzenegger. The case was a federal-constitutional challenge to California Proposition 8, a voter initiative constitutional amendment that eliminated the right of same sex couples to marry which had previously been granted after the California Supreme Court found that Proposition 22 was unconstitutional. [13] On August 4, 2010, Walker ruled that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional "under both the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses," and enjoined (that is, prohibited) its enforcement.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b Federal Judicial Center page on Vaughn Walker.
  2. ^ a b Egelko, Bob (2004-09-01). "Walker becomes chief district judge". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-02-04. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ "Gay judge has proven record of impartiality" (editorial). The San Francisco Chronicle. February 9, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
  4. ^ . 07 February 2010 http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-02-07/bay-area/17848482_1_same-sex-marriage-sexual-orientation-judge-walker. Retrieved 2010-11-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ Dolan, Maura (29 September 2010). "Judge who overturned Proposition 8 to retire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-09-29.
  6. ^ Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer (Tuesday, September 14, 2004). "Aaron Director – profoundly influential law professor". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-05-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ Holding, Reynolds (Sunday, May 13, 2001). "White-collar crooks' suite-heart deals". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-05-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Philip Shenon (1988-1-14). "Battle Looming Over a Nominee For U.S. Court". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2010-08-06. Mr. Walker, a 43-year-old partner at the law firm of Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro who has been active in Republican politics... {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Ryan Singel (November 17, 2006). "NSA Case Becomes Lawyer Junket". Wired. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  10. ^ Charlie Savage, James Risen (2010-03-31). "Federal Judge Finds N.S.A. Wiretaps Were Illegal". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-04-26. A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the National Security Agency's program of surveillance without warrants was illegal, rejecting the Obama administration's effort to keep shrouded in secrecy one of the most disputed counterterrorism policies of former President George W. Bush.
  11. ^ Examiner Staff and Wire Reports (1995-02-21). "High Court rejects final Apple appeal". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
  12. ^ Pimentel, Benjamin (2004-09-10). "Oracle wins antitrust suit in bid for rival / Ruling lifts major obstacle to takeover of PeopleSoft". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  13. ^ Michael B. Farrell (January 11, 2010). "Gay marriage trial begins with tough questions for both sides". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  14. ^ Devin Dwyer (August 4, 2010). "Unconstitutional: Federal Court Overturns Proposition 8, Gay Marriage Ban in California" (PDF). ABC News Online. Retrieved 2010-08-04.

External links

Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the District Court for the Northern District of California
1989–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Chief Judge of the District Court for the Northern District of California
2004–present

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