Sandra L. Townes

Sandra L. Townes
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Incumbent
Assumed office May 1, 2015
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
In office August 2, 2004 – May 1, 2015
Nominated by	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Sterling Johnson, Jr.
Succeeded by	Ann Donnelly
Personal details
Born	1944 (age 79–80) Spartanburg, South Carolina
Alma mater	Johnson C. Smith University Syracuse University College of Law

Sandra Lynn Townes (born 1944) is a Senior District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Early life and education

Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Townes graduated from Johnson C. Smith University with her bachelor's degree in 1966 and later from Syracuse University College of Law with a Juris Doctor degree in 1976.

Legal career

Following law school graduation, Townes worked with the Onondaga County, New York District Attorney's Office as Assistant district attorney from 1977 to 1983. She was promoted to Senior assistant district attorney from 1983 to 1986 and became Chief assistant district attorney from 1986 to 1987. Townes was elected to a City Court Judge seat for the City Court of Syracuse, New York from 1988 to 1999. In 1999, Townes was elected as Justice of the Fifth Judicial District New York Supreme Court 2000 to 2004 and was selected by the New York State Governor, George Pataki, to the judicial post of Appellate Division Associate justice handling appeals for the 2nd Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court from 2001 to 2004. During this time Townes also taught academically as an Adjunct professor at Syracuse University College of Law from 1987 to 1995 and at Onondaga Community College from 1992 to 2001.

Federal judicial service

Townes was nominated to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York by President George W. Bush on August 1, 2003 to a seat vacated when Sterling Johnson, Jr. took senior status. Townes was confirmed by the Senate on June 3, 2004 on a Senate vote and received her commission on August 2, 2004. She assumed senior status on May 1, 2015.

Sources

• Sandra L. Townes at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.