James Graves

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
James Graves
Image of James Graves

Nonpartisan

United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
Tenure

2011 - Present

Years in position

13

Education

Bachelor's

Millsaps College, 1975

Graduate

Syracuse University, 1981

Law

Syracuse University College of Law, 1980

Personal
Birthplace
Mississippi


James E. Graves, Jr. is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. He was nominated in 2010 and confirmed by the Senate on February 14, 2011.[1][2]

Education

A native of Hinds County, Mississippi, Graves received his B.A. from Millsaps College in 1975, his J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law in 1980, and his M.P.A. from Syracuse University in 1981.[2]

Professional career

2009-2011: Presiding justice
  • 1991-2001: Judge, Seventh Judicial District
  • 1990-1991: Director, Division of Child Support Enforcement, Mississippi Department of Human Services
  • 1986-1990: Special assistant attorney general, State of Mississippi
  • 1983-1986: Private practice, Jackson, Miss.
  • 1980-1997: Adjunct professor, Jackson State University
  • 1980-1983: Staff attorney, Central Mississippi Legal Services, Jackson, Miss.[2]

Judicial career

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: James E. Graves, Jr.
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
Progress
Confirmed 249 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: June 10, 2010
ApprovedAABA Rating: Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: September 29, 2010
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: February 3, 2011 December 1, 2010
ApprovedAConfirmed: February 14, 2011
ApprovedAVote: Voice vote
DefeatedAReturned: December 22, 2010

Graves was nominated by President Obama on June 10, 2010, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to replace Judge Rhesa Barksdale.[3] In a statement, Obama said, "Throughout his career, James E. Graves has shown unwavering integrity and an outstanding commitment to public service."[4]

Graves was rated Unanimously Qualified by the American Bar Association for the nomination.[5] Hearings on Graves' nomnination were held before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary on September 29, 2010, and his nomination was reported by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on December 1, 2010. Under Rule XXXI, paragraph six of the standing rules of the Senate, Graves' nomination was returned to the president on December 22, 2010. President Obama resubmitted Graves' nomination on January 5, 2011, and his nomination was again reported by Sen. Leahy on February 3, 2011. Graves was confirmed on a voice vote of the United States Senate on February 14, 2011, and he received his commission the next day.[2][6][7]

Mississippi Supreme Court

Before serving on the federal court, Graves was a justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court. Prior to his appointment, he was a judge on the Seventh District Circuit Court, from 1991 to 2001.[2]

Noteworthy cases

SCOTUS affirms Fifth Circuit ruling on Fair Housing Act claims (2015)
See also: United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit (Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project, Inc.)

On June 25, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit. Judge James Graves delivered the opinion of the circuit panel.

The federal government provided tax credits to developers of low-income housing. State authorities were responsible for administering the credits and the administrative agency responsible in Texas was the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (Department). In 2009, a nonprofit organization, the Inclusive Communities Project (ICP), sued the Department in a federal district court under the Fair Housing Act. The ICP alleged that Department disproportionately awarded credits to developments in low-income minority neighborhoods and denied the credits to developments in white neighborhoods, which the ICP claimed perpetuated housing segregation. Using a standard adopted by the Second Circuit, the district court held that the Department violated the Fair Housing Act. A three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit, in an opinion by Judge James Graves, affirmed the district court. The panel held that the standard adopted by the district court was similar to one utilized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which had responsibility for administering the Fair Housing Act.

Writing for a five-justice U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Anthony Kennedy affirmed the circuit panel.[8][9]

See also

External links


Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Clarion Ledger, "Graves confirmed to 5th Circuit
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Federal Judicial Center, "Biographical directory of federal judges," accessed September 10, 2016
  3. ↑ The White House, "Presidential Nomination Sent to the Senate," June 10, 2010
  4. ↑ Clarion Ledger, "Miss. justice tapped for court," June 11, 2010
  5. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III judicial nominees," accessed September 10, 2010
  6. ↑ United States Congress, "PN 1861 - James E. Graves Jr. — The Judiciary," accessed September 10, 2016
  7. ↑ United States Congress, "PN 4 - James E. Graves Jr. — The Judiciary," accessed September 10, 2016
  8. ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project Inc., June 25, 2015
  9. ↑ Oyez.org, "Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project Inc.," accessed October 12, 2017

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
2011-Present		 Succeeded by
-



Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=James_Graves&oldid=9892986"